The European Union is the world's largest trader when goods and services are combined.

Omissions

• The EU is a bloc of 27 member states, so the 'largest trader' ranking compares the EU as a whole against individual countries (China and the United States).
• China is the world's largest trader in goods alone and the United States leads in services alone; the EU leads only when goods and services are combined.
• Eurostat data (2024 reference period) is published after the claim's session date but describes a period the speaker could have known; the Commission routinely uses this same framing.

Sources

• PrimaryEurostat — Statistics Explained: World trade in goods and services - an overviewIn 2024, the EU exported more goods and services (€4.14 trillion) than any individual country and the EU recorded the second highest level of imports (€3.58 trillion). The EU's share of world exports of goods and services was 17.0%.
• SecondaryCouncil of the European Union (Consilium) — The EU's role in global tradeThe European Union is the world's largest trade bloc in terms of goods and services combined, accounting in 2024 for an estimated 15.8% of world trade.