twenty eighteen with fondness new figures show it was a record year. meeting in germany is still selling well around the globe twenty eight thousand was another record year exports increased for the fifth time in a row but towards the end of the year exports started running out of steam a sign that the german economy is not immune to the global trade crisis last year germany exported a total of one point three trillion euros worth of goods an increase of three percent over the previous year and imports rose by five point seven percent to over one trillion euros. and since germany's imports have increased they helped to reduce germany's long standing trade surplus for years germany has been exporting more than it imports something the country's trading partners including u.s. president donald trump have criticized in recent years. let's get out a u.s.