Market evolution: Crushed stone and gravel (CN 2517) — 2015–2025

Introduction

This report examines the European Union's external trade in crushed stone, gravel and related aggregates (Combined Nomenclature code 2517) over the period 2015–2025. The product heading covers a wide range of construction materials — from basic pebbles and crushed rock used in concrete and road-building, to marble and granite granules, tarred macadam, and slag-based aggregates. Given the bulk nature and relatively low unit value of these goods, trade in CN 2517 is shaped by geography, transport cost, and construction-cycle demand. Over the decade under review, the EU's trade profile in this category has changed markedly: imports have surged far more rapidly than exports, the trade deficit has more than doubled, and the composition of both partners and product sub-segments has shifted. The sections below unpack these dynamics.

For the full overview dashboard, see Scope & Definitions.

1. The EU's trade deficit in aggregates has more than doubled on the back of explosive import growth

Imports nearly doubled in value while export growth remained modest

The most striking feature of the 2015–2025 period is the asymmetry between import and export trajectories. EU imports of CN 2517 from non-EU countries rose from €376 million in 2015 to €739 million in 2025, an increase of +96.4%. Over the same period, imports in volume terms climbed from 20.8 million tonnes to 38.8 million tonnes (+86.7%). By contrast, EU exports grew more moderately in value — from €181 million to €223 million (+23.2%) — while export volumes actually declined from 8.8 million tonnes to 8.2 million tonnes (−7.1%).

(Source: General Overview)

The trade balance deteriorated from −€195 million to −€516 million

As a direct consequence of this asymmetry, the EU's trade deficit in CN 2517 widened from −€195 million in 2015 to −€516 million in 2025, a deterioration of −164.2%. The EU has always been a net importer of bulk aggregates — a logical outcome given the weight-to-value ratio of the product, which favours short-sea and cross-border sourcing over long-distance trade — but the pace of deficit expansion is notable. It reflects both growing European construction demand that domestic quarries could not fully meet, and the increasing role of nearby non-EU suppliers (principally Norway and the UK) in feeding that demand.

The granules and chippings sub-segment (CN 251749) drove the most dramatic import surge

Behind the headline figures, the product sub-segments tell a differentiated story. The dominant import category — CN 251710 (pebbles, gravel, crushed stone for construction use) — grew steadily from 15.4 million tonnes (€187M) in 2015 to 25.7 million tonnes (€397M) in 2025. However, the most dramatic shift occurred in CN 251749 (granules and chippings of granite, basalt, sandstone and other non-marble rocks), where import volumes surged from 3.7 million tonnes in 2015 to 10.8 million tonnes in 2025 — nearly tripling. This sub-segment alone accounted for €196 million in import value by 2025, up from €72 million. Meanwhile, marble granules (CN 251741) remained relatively stable at around 1.6 million tonnes, and the smaller categories of tarred macadam (251730) and slag macadam (251720) grew from negligible bases.

On the export side, CN 251710 remained the core product at 7.0 million tonnes (€132M) in 2025, essentially flat in volume over the decade. Export volumes of granules and marble chippings actually declined, with CN 251749 falling from 719 kt to 527 kt and CN 251741 from 636 kt to 389 kt.

(Source: Product Segment Breakdown)

2. Norway anchors the import side while Switzerland dominates EU exports, but the partner landscape is diversifying

Norway supplied nearly three-quarters of EU import value by 2025

The EU's import structure in CN 2517 is heavily concentrated around a small number of neighbouring non-EU countries. Norway is by far the largest supplier, accounting for €541 million in 2025 — up from €279 million in 2015 (+93.9%). This makes Norway the source of roughly 73% of all EU imports by value. Norway's dominance reflects its abundant rock resources, its geographic proximity to major EU markets (particularly the Nordics, Germany and the Netherlands), and well-established short-sea shipping routes for bulk aggregates.

The United Kingdom is the second-largest supplier at €106 million in 2025 (up from €50M, +110.9%), followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina which grew from just €5 million to €31 million (+503.2%) — the fastest-growing major partner. Other suppliers include Ukraine (€12M, +132.5%), Switzerland (€7M), Belarus (€7M) and Türkiye (€11M, −18.6% — the only declining partner in the top seven).

(Source: Top Partners by Value)

On the export side, Switzerland and the UK are the primary destinations

EU exports of CN 2517 are geographically concentrated but less so than imports. Switzerland absorbed €123 million in 2025 (up from €103M, +19.6%), making it the single largest non-EU destination and reflecting cross-border aggregate flows between neighbouring quarries and construction sites. The United Kingdom received €30 million (up from €21M, +40.1%). Beyond these two, the export landscape is more fragmented: Moldova (€7M, +251.8%), Brazil (€3M), Russia (€3M, −23.0%) and Andorra (€1.4M) round out the top partners.

Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark are the EU's largest importing Member States

At the Member-State level, the import side is led by Germany (€206M in 2025, up from €96M, +113.7%), followed by the Netherlands (€120M, +102.1%) and Denmark (€121M, +157.8%). Poland (€60M, +175.0%) and Finland (€43M, +509.3%) recorded the fastest growth among major importers. On the export side, France led at €67M (up from €49M), while the Netherlands saw the most striking reorientation, with extra-EU exports jumping from just €1.9 million to €12.7 million (+554.8%).

(Source: Top Reporters by Value)

Import concentration remained moderate and relatively stable

The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) for import concentration by value stood at 5,699 in 2015 and 5,592 in 2025 — a marginal decline of −1.9%. This indicates that while Norway dominates, the modest diversification towards partners like Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ukraine has kept concentration broadly stable. Export concentration is lower (HHI of 3,480 → 3,422), consistent with a more geographically dispersed customer base.

(Source: Concentration (HHI))

3. Rising unit prices, booming production, and increasing import dependence point to structural market change

Import prices were broadly stable while export prices rose more sharply

Over the full period, EU import unit values edged up from €18.10/t to €19.05/t (+5.2%), having dipped to a low of €15.96/t before recovering. Export prices rose more substantially, from €20.62/t to €27.34/t (+32.6%). This divergence likely reflects the different product mix: the bulk of imports consists of low-value crushed stone and gravel (CN 251710, at around €15.4/t imported in 2025), while exports include a higher share of value-added granules and marble chippings (CN 251741 exported at €110.8/t and CN 251749 at €64.5/t in 2025). The sharp rise in export prices for marble chippings (from €54/t to €111/t) and non-marble granules (from €38/t to €65/t) suggests either a shift towards higher-value product niches or upstream cost pressures in quarrying and processing.

(Source: Product Segment Breakdown)

EU domestic production nearly doubled in volume and nearly tripled in value

EU production data for CN 2517 shows dramatic expansion: output grew from 653 billion kg in 2015 to 1,186 billion kg in 2025 (+81.7%), while production value surged from €4.9 billion to €13.1 billion (+169.2%). The faster growth in value than in quantity implies significant unit-price inflation in domestic production as well. Despite this robust domestic output, the EU simultaneously became more reliant on extra-EU imports — a paradox explained by the sheer scale of construction demand growth across the bloc, particularly in Northern and Central Europe.

(Source: Production Volumes)

Net import reliance rose from 1.9% to 2.9%, while export propensity declined

The Net Import Reliance indicator — net imports as a share of apparent consumption — increased from 1.89% to 2.92% (+54.4%), peaking at 3.35% in an intermediate year. While still low in absolute terms (reflecting the inherently local nature of bulk aggregates), the direction of travel is clear. Simultaneously, the Export Propensity — exports as a share of domestic production — fell from 2.59% to 1.74% (−32.7%), indicating that a rising share of EU output is being absorbed domestically rather than exported. Trade Intensity (total trade as a share of production) edged down from 6.79% to 6.19% (−8.9%).

Volatility was moderate for major partners, but geopolitical risks are visible in smaller flows

Looking at the coefficient of variation (CV) of trade values across the period, the largest partners exhibited relatively low volatility: Norway's import CV was 0.19 and the UK's 0.15. However, smaller and more geopolitically exposed partners showed much higher instability. Imports from Belarus (CV 0.65) and Ukraine (CV 0.62) were notably volatile, and exports to Russia carried a CV of 1.04 — reflecting the disruption following the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. A handful of extreme price shocks were also detected in niche export markets: a +1,064% price spike to Côte d'Ivoire in 2019 and a +648% spike to Jamaica in 2021, both carrying negligible value shares and likely reflecting one-off or small-volume transactions.

(Source: Volatility, Supply Shocks)

Specialisation patterns highlight Croatia, Slovenia and Austria as the EU's most export-oriented producers

An analysis of revealed comparative advantage for 2025 shows that Croatia (RSCA of 0.90, RCA of 18.7) is by far the most specialised EU Member State in CN 2517 exports, followed by Slovenia (RSCA 0.66) and Finland (RSCA 0.49). Austria (RSCA 0.49, with a 9.7% share of total EU production in this heading) combines high specialisation with significant volume. At the other end, Malta and Ireland show no meaningful export specialisation in aggregates. This pattern is consistent with the geography of quarrying resources and cross-border construction flows in Central and Northern Europe.

(Source: Specialisation)

Conclusion

Between 2015 and 2025, the EU's external trade in crushed stone, gravel and related aggregates (CN 2517) underwent a pronounced structural shift. Import volumes nearly doubled and the trade deficit more than doubled, driven primarily by surging demand for basic crushed stone (CN 251710) and non-marble granules (CN 251749). Norway consolidated its position as the dominant supplier, while Bosnia and Herzegovina emerged as a fast-growing new source. On the export side, growth was more muted, with volumes even declining slightly and the EU increasingly redirecting production inward to satisfy domestic construction needs. Prices rose across the board — particularly for higher-value granules and marble chippings — while domestic production expanded dramatically. Despite the inherently local nature of bulk aggregates, the EU's net import reliance has risen meaningfully, and geopolitical volatility in Eastern European supply chains bears watching. Overall, the data paints a picture of a market in which demand growth outstripped domestic supply expansion, pulling in ever-larger volumes from a small number of nearby non-EU partners.