Market evolution: Motor vehicle parts (CN 87089910) — 2015–2025

Introduction

This report analyzes the evolution of the European Union's external trade in motor vehicle parts and accessories for industrial assembly (Customs code 87089910) between 2015 and 2025. The product category covers components for the production of smaller passenger vehicles, certain goods transport vehicles, and special-purpose motor vehicles. Over the decade, the EU's trade in these parts has undergone a significant contraction, characterized by declining volumes but rising unit values, a marked geographical reorientation of trade flows, and a strengthening of the bloc's domestic production base. This analysis is based on the available annual trade data from the Trade Dashboard.

The Great Volume Contraction and the Price-Value Divergence

A defining feature of the 2015–2025 period was a sharp decline in the physical volume of trade, accompanied by a substantial increase in unit values. This suggests a fundamental shift in the composition of traded goods or a general inflation in parts pricing.

Export volumes fell by two-thirds while prices nearly doubled

EU exports to the world fell dramatically in quantity terms. From 2015 to 2025, export volume decreased by 66.3%, from 113,177 tonnes to 38,167 tonnes. Despite this collapse in physical quantity, the total value of exports only fell by 41.2% (from €856 million to €504 million). This divergence is explained by a 74.3% surge in the average export price, which climbed from €7,567 per tonne to €13,193 per tonne. This pattern is visible in the general trade overview.

Import trends mirrored exports, but with a different price trajectory

Imports followed a similar volumetric decline, falling 67.0% by quantity. However, the value decrease was steeper (-60.6%), indicating a more modest increase in import prices (+19.6% to €9,096 per tonne). The wider price gap between EU exports (€13,193/t) and imports (€9,096/t) in 2025 points towards the EU specializing in and exporting higher-value-added components.

Source: Trade Overview

A Dramatic Reorientation of Trade Partnerships

The period witnessed a major reshuffling of the EU's trade geography for this product. Traditional partners lost prominence, while others, most notably China and Mexico, gained significant market share.

China emerged as a key import partner; the UK's role collapsed

The most striking shift on the import side was the decline of the United Kingdom and the rise of China. UK imports, which constituted the largest single source in 2015 (€210 million, see top import partners), plummeted by 87.1% to just €27 million. Concurrently, imports from China surged by 275.1%, rising from €7.0 million to €26.1 million. This suggests a re-routing of supply chains, likely influenced by Brexit and the continued integration of Chinese manufacturers into global automotive networks.

Export markets consolidated away from South Africa and Türkiye towards Mexico and the UK

On the export side, the top export partners also saw dramatic changes. While the United Kingdom remained the primary export destination, its value fell by 36.9%. Exports to South Africa collapsed by 90.7%, and those to Türkiye fell by 71.2%. In contrast, exports to Mexico grew by 87.6%, becoming the sixth-largest market, highlighting Mexico's strengthening role in North American automotive production.

Source: Partners Dashboard

Intra-EU Specialization, Production Growth, and Concentration Shifts

Behind the aggregate EU-level trends, significant reconfiguration occurred within the bloc. Production capacity expanded, trade became less concentrated, and specialized roles solidified among member states.

EU domestic production value more than doubled, reducing trade intensity

While external trade volumes shrank, the value of EU production of these parts soared by 111.8%, rising from €32.2 billion to €68.3 billion, according to the production data. This expansion is reflected in the vulnerability indicators, which show trade intensity (exports + imports as a share of production) halving from 35.9% to 21.6%. The EU became less reliant on external trade for this product, indicating stronger domestic integration or increased self-sufficiency.

Export concentration remained stable, while import sources diversified

The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) for trade concentration tells a story of contrasting dynamics. Import concentration fell sharply by 50.9% (HHI from 2756 to 1352), signifying a meaningful diversification of suppliers away from reliance on a few partners like the UK. Export concentration saw a modest 4.5% increase, but remained at a moderate level (HHI 1552), suggesting the EU maintained a relatively stable set of key export customers despite the overall market contraction.

Specialization became entrenched in Southern and Central Europe

Data on export specialization reveals that Portugal, Spain, Romania, and Czechia emerged as the most specialized exporters in 2025. Conversely, traditional Western European trade hubs like Belgium and the Netherlands showed low specialization. Within this landscape, certain member states underwent radical transformations. For example, Austria's import role exploded (value +559.1%), while Spain's import activity collapsed (-93.0%), as shown in the reporters' breakdown.

Conclusion

The market for EU motor vehicle parts under code 87089910 between 2015 and 2025 was defined by a steep decline in traded volumes, largely driven by a massive expansion in the bloc's own production capacity. The trade that remained shifted in character: unit values climbed, import supply chains diversified away from the UK and towards China, and export destinations pivoted from South Africa towards Mexico. The EU's trade surplus persisted but narrowed, and the sector's reliance on international trade diminished significantly. The data points to a European automotive parts industry that, while contracting in its external trade footprint, intensified its internal production and redefined its global partnerships in the face of changing global supply chains and competitive dynamics.