Market evolution: Brooms and brushes (CN 9603) — 2015–2025
Introduction
This report examines the trade dynamics of the European Union (EU) for Combined Nomenclature code 9603, covering brooms, brushes, mops, paint rollers, and related articles, over the period from 2015 to 2025. The analysis focuses on intra-EU trade with the rest of the world. The data reveals a market characterized by robust overall growth, a significant widening of the trade deficit, and a notable geographic reorientation of both import sources and export destinations. Furthermore, the sector shows increasing product specialization and concentration, particularly on the import side.
1. Robust Value Growth Masking a Widening Structural Deficit
Despite steady growth in trade value, the EU's trade balance for CN 9603 products deteriorated significantly over the decade, shifting from a small deficit to a substantial one, driven by faster growth in imports relative to exports.
1.1 Import Growth Outpaces Export Performance
Between 2015 and 2025, the value of EU imports for CN 9603 grew by 54.1%, rising from approximately €1.06 billion to €1.63 billion. In comparison, export values grew by 37.9%, from €754 million to €1.04 billion (General Overview). This differential growth directly contributed to the widening trade deficit.
1.2 A Persistent and Growing Trade Deficit
The EU's trade balance for this product category has been consistently negative. The deficit nearly doubled, worsening from -€304 million in 2015 to -€591 million in 2025, representing a 94.4% increase in the shortfall (General Overview). This indicates the EU's increasing reliance on external suppliers to meet domestic demand for these goods.
| Metric (EUR) | 2015 | 2025 | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Import Value | 1,058,226,628 | 1,630,770,885 | +54.1% |
| Export Value | 754,150,524 | 1,039,650,412 | +37.9% |
| Trade Balance | -304,076,104 | -591,120,474 | -94.4% (worsening) |
1.3 Diverging Price and Volume Trends
The growth in export value was primarily price-driven, with the average export price rising by 46.0% while export volume fell by 5.5%. Conversely, import value growth was fueled by both a 50.0% increase in volume and a modest 2.7% rise in average import price (General Overview). This suggests the EU is exporting higher-value-added products while importing lower-cost, higher-volume goods.
2. Geographic Reorientation of Trade Flows
The partner landscape for EU trade in CN 9603 underwent significant changes, with import sourcing becoming more concentrated on China while export destinations diversified.
2.1 China's Dominance in Imports Strengthened
China solidified its position as the EU's primary import source. Its share of EU import value increased, with imports from China rising by 60.8% to €1.13 billion in 2025. China alone accounted for approximately 69.5% of total EU imports in value terms by the end of the period (Top partners by value (imports)).
2.2 Export Markets: Diversification Away from Russia
The most dramatic shift in export partners was the collapse of trade with the Russian Federation. Exports to Russia fell by 65.4%, from €54 million to €19 million. This loss was more than compensated for by growth in exports to the United States (+115.5%), the United Kingdom (+70.3%), Ukraine (+142.1%), and Switzerland (+55.6%) (Top partners by value (exports)). The United States became the largest single export market by 2025.
2.3 Rising Import Concentration
The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) for import value, a measure of market concentration, increased by 9.9% from 4,602 to 5,058, indicating a higher degree of reliance on a limited number of suppliers, primarily China. Export concentration also increased but from a much lower base (HHI rose from 625 to 902) (Market Structure).
3. Product Specialization and Internal Structural Shifts
Analysis of subheadings reveals that the broad CN 9603 category encompasses diverse products with distinct trade profiles, and the EU's internal production and consumption patterns show signs of specialization.
3.1 Key Product Segments Driving Trade
Two subheadings dominated trade flows. For imports, 960390 (mops, dusters, squeegees, n.e.s.) was the largest by volume (110,528 tonnes in 2025), while 960321 (toothbrushes) was the most valuable, worth €379 million in 2025. For exports, 960321 (toothbrushes) led by value (€410 million), but 960390 was again the top export by volume (24,887 tonnes) (Product Segment Breakdown).
3.2 Evidence of EU Specialization
The EU exhibited a clear comparative advantage (revealed comparative advantage - RCA > 1) in exporting brushes for industrial applications (960350), with an export price consistently 2-3 times higher than the import price for the same category. This suggests the EU specializes in higher-technology, industrial brushes, while importing more standardized goods like household brushes and mops.
3.3 Production Trends: Higher Value, Lower Volume
EU production data shows a strategic shift. While the number of items produced declined by 21.8% (from 3.47 billion to 2.71 billion pieces), the value of production increased by 38.1% (from €1.51 billion to €2.08 billion) (Market Structure). This indicates a move towards producing higher-value products and aligns with the observed export specialization.
Conclusion
Over the 2015-2025 period, the EU's trade in brooms and brushes (CN 9603) was marked by sustained growth in value but a significant structural change. The EU became markedly more dependent on imports, particularly from China, leading to a doubled trade deficit. Export markets underwent a reorientation, pivoting away from Russia towards the US, UK, and Switzerland. Internally, the data points to a productive restructuring within the EU, with output shifting towards higher-value products, likely concentrating on specialized industrial and personal care brushes, while lower-cost, high-volume items are increasingly sourced from abroad. This evolution highlights the sector's integration into global value chains and the EU's position as a producer of specialized goods within it.