Market evolution: Ceramic tiles (CN 6907) — 2015–2025

Introduction

The European Union is one of the world's leading producers and exporters of ceramic tiles. This report examines the evolution of extra-EU trade flows for product CN 6907 — covering ceramic flags, paving, hearth and wall tiles, mosaic cubes, and finishing ceramics — over the period 2015 to 2025. The data reveal a decade of dramatic expansion in both exports and imports, with EU exports growing more than fourfold in value while imports surged nearly tenfold from a much smaller base. Despite this import surge, the EU has maintained a very large and growing trade surplus in this product category. The analysis draws on trade overview data, partner breakdowns, market concentration metrics, and product segment breakdowns to identify the main structural shifts in this market.

1. EU Exports Expand Fourfold, Driven by Italy, Spain, and Non-European Demand

EU export value grew from €1.05 billion in 2015 to €4.54 billion in 2025

Between the first and last years in the dataset, the EU's extra-EU exports of ceramic tiles rose by 333.9% in value (from €1,045.8 million to €4,538.3 million), peaking at €5,483.9 million along the way. In volume terms, exports grew from 1,415,926 tonnes to 6,553,188 tonnes (+362.8%), and in supplementary units (square metres) from 70.4 million m² to 345.7 million m² (+391.0%). This expansion far outpaced the modest decline in unit prices, which fell only 6.2% in EUR/t terms over the period, indicating that the growth was overwhelmingly volume-driven rather than the result of price discounting.

Italy and Spain account for the lion's share of exports, with Spain's growth being extraordinary

The two dominant EU exporters are Italy and Spain, whose combined share of EU extra-EU exports has been consistently overwhelming:

(Source: Top reporters by value — exports)

Spain's exports surged from just €101.6 million in 2015 to over €2.1 billion in 2025 — a nearly twentyfold increase. This spectacular growth reflects Spain's emergence as a major global tile exporter, with significant capacity expansion and competitive positioning in international markets. Italy, the traditional leader, also grew strongly (+170%) but at a slower pace, meaning Spain has effectively caught up to Italy in absolute export value by 2025.

The United States and the United Kingdom are the leading destination markets

(Source: Top partners by value — exports)

The United States alone represented 27.9% of EU extra-EU ceramic tile exports by value in 2025 (€1,086 million), making it by far the single most important non-EU destination. The UK, Israel, and Middle Eastern/North African markets (Morocco, Saudi Arabia) also showed strong growth, reflecting robust construction activity and consumer demand in these regions. Morocco's 17-fold increase is particularly striking and may reflect both real estate development and the role of Moroccan-origin tile producers in the EU re-exporting to their home market.

2. Extra-EU Imports Surge Nearly Tenfold, Led by Türkiye and India

EU imports rose from €67 million in 2015 to €707 million in 2025

While the EU is a massive net exporter of ceramic tiles, its imports from non-EU countries grew at an even faster rate than exports. The trade overview shows that import value increased by 955.8% over the period, and imported volume in tonnes grew by 1,037.7% (from 183,928 t to 2,092,628 t). Import prices fell by 7.2% per tonne, meaning the import surge was almost entirely volume-driven. The EU's trade surplus in ceramic tiles nonetheless remained extremely large, growing from €979 million to €3.83 billion.

Türkiye and India have become dominant import sources, while China declined sharply

The reshaping of the EU's import origins over the decade is one of the most dramatic features of this market:

(Source: Top partners by value — imports)

India's growth of 6,475% is extraordinary — from €4.1 million to €271.3 million, making it the single largest extra-EU supplier to the EU by 2025, just ahead of Türkiye at €251.2 million. India has rapidly scaled its ceramic tile industry and exploited cost advantages to penetrate the European market. Türkiye, already a significant exporter, more than quadrupled its shipments, with a peak of €420.6 million recorded at some point during the period. Meanwhile, China — once the largest single extra-EU supplier — saw its imports to the EU fall by 47% to just €12.6 million, a decline that may reflect both anti-dumping measures and the growing competitiveness of Indian and Turkish producers. Imports from Russia fell to near zero, likely reflecting the impact of sanctions following 2022.

The import concentration HHI rose from 2,178 to 2,808, confirming that imports have become more concentrated among fewer supplying countries — principally India and Türkiye.

Several EU member states have become significant importers of extra-EU tiles

(Source: Top reporters by value — imports)

Notably, even Italy — the world's leading ceramic tile producer — saw its extra-EU imports grow by over 1,250%, reaching €57.7 million. Romania's import growth of over 4,600% stands out, reflecting rapid construction growth and EU market integration. Poland's import surge (+1,162%) likewise signals the country's growing role as both a production hub and a large consumer market for tiles.

3. Production Shifts Toward Higher Value While Product Mix Evolves

EU production volumes declined slightly but values increased, indicating a move upmarket

The production data shows that EU ceramic tile production fell from 1,296.1 million m² to 1,159.5 million m² (−10.5%), while production value rose from €10,723 million to €11,931 million (+11.3%). This divergence — lower volume but higher value — is consistent with a shift toward premium products (larger formats, technical porcelain, designer tiles) and reflects rising input costs (energy, raw materials) that have been passed through into higher selling prices.

The porcelain segment (690721) dominates both exports and imports

Looking at the product segment breakdown, the sub-segment 690721 (tiles with water absorption ≤0.5%, i.e., porcelain stoneware) is overwhelmingly dominant:

Porcelain tiles (690721) represented 83% of extra-EU export value and 82% of import value in 2025. Export volumes in this segment grew from 5.0 to 5.4 million tonnes, with unit export prices rising from €561/t to €693/t — reflecting the industry's premiumisation trend.

The decline of mid-range and traditional tile segments is pronounced

The two "classic" ceramic tile segments — 690723 (water absorption >10%) and 690722 (0.5–10%) — experienced significant export declines. Exports of 690723 fell from 1,807,555 tonnes to 605,076 tonnes in volume, and 690722 from 1,815,017 tonnes to 448,605 tonnes. Despite declining volumes, the unit export prices for these segments rose substantially (690723: €381/t → €710/t; 690722: €274/t → €485/t), suggesting that the remaining production is increasingly niche or higher-quality. These segments are being progressively displaced in international trade by porcelain stoneware, which offers superior technical performance and has become the global standard.

Finishing ceramics (690740) also saw a steep decline in exports (from 230,426 t to 50,212 t), though export prices surged from €692/t to €1,664/t — a 140% increase that implies a strong shift toward specialised, high-value finishing products. Mosaic cubes (690730) remained a small but stable niche.

The EU's comparative advantage remains concentrated in Southern Europe

The specialisation analysis confirms that Italy (RSCA: 0.71, RCA: 5.89) and Spain (RSCA: 0.66, RCA: 4.97) are by far the most specialised EU member states in ceramic tile exports, followed at a distance by Bulgaria (RSCA: 0.50) and Portugal (RSCA: 0.45). These countries benefit from long-standing industrial clusters, access to high-quality clay deposits, and strong brand recognition in global markets. At the other end of the spectrum, countries like Ireland, Finland, Hungary, and Sweden show negligible specialisation (RSCA close to −1.0), confirming that ceramic tile production is a geographically concentrated industry even within the EU.

Conclusion

Over the period 2015–2025, the EU ceramic tile industry (CN 6907) underwent a profound transformation. Exports expanded more than fourfold in value to over €4.5 billion, with Italy and Spain anchoring EU supply and the United States emerging as the overwhelmingly dominant destination market. At the same time, extra-EU imports surged nearly tenfold from a low base, driven almost entirely by the rapid rise of India and Türkiye as suppliers, while Chinese imports to the EU contracted sharply. EU production volumes declined modestly but values rose, reflecting a decisive structural shift toward higher-value porcelain stoneware and away from traditional mid-range ceramic tiles. The EU's trade surplus in this sector grew to €3.83 billion, and its net export reliance remained firmly in the −48% to −53% range, confirming the sector's strong competitive position. However, the concentration of imports into fewer supplier countries — particularly India and Türkiye — and the growing exposure of EU member states like Poland, Romania, and France to extra-EU competition suggest that the competitive landscape is tightening, and the coming years will test the EU industry's ability to maintain its premium positioning against increasingly capable emerging-market producers.