Market evolution: MRI scanners (CN 901813) — 2015–2025

Introduction

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, classified under CN 901813, represent one of the highest-value segments of the global medical device market. The European Union has long been a major producer and net exporter of this equipment, with Germany and the Netherlands at its core. Over the 2015–2025 period, the EU's extra-EU trade in MRI scanners has undergone significant structural shifts: exports grew moderately in value while imports surged, the geographic composition of both flows changed markedly, and the EU's trade surplus — while still substantial — narrowed considerably. This report examines three main dynamics that define the evolution of this market over the decade: the rebalancing of trade flows, the geographic reorientation of partners, and the structural transformation of the EU's position in the global MRI value chain.

1. A Resilient but Rebalancing Trade Position

The EU maintained a consistent trade surplus in MRI equipment throughout the 2015–2025 period, but the margin has progressively narrowed as import growth significantly outpaced export growth.

1.1 Export growth has been volume-driven while unit values declined

EU extra-EU exports rose from €1.74 billion in 2015 to €1.98 billion in 2025, a gain of 14.1%. However, this headline figure masks an important compositional shift. The quantity exported grew much faster (+27.6%, from 16,405 to 20,931 tonnes), while the average unit price fell by 10.6%, from approximately €105,873/t to €94,681/t. This suggests that EU exporters shipped more volume but at lower average prices, potentially reflecting a shift toward lower-field-strength systems, increased competition on price, or changes in the product mix shipped to different destination markets.

1.2 Imports surged on both value and volume

Over the same period, imports into the EU grew far more rapidly: value rose by 36.5% (from €869 million to €1.19 billion) and quantity by 39.8% (from 13,013 to 18,191 tonnes). Import unit prices were relatively stable, declining only 2.4%. The faster growth of imports relative to exports is the key dynamic driving the narrowing of the trade surplus.

1.3 The trade surplus narrowed but the EU remains structurally competitive

The EU's trade balance in MRI scanners declined from €868 million in 2015 to €796 million in 2025 (−8.3%). The surplus peaked at approximately €1.13 billion (around 2019) before contracting. Meanwhile, net import reliance moved from −37.9% to −17.1% (a 55% reduction in absolute terms), confirming that the EU is still a net exporter but is becoming less dominant. The EU's export propensity nevertheless rose from 104.6% to 160.8%, indicating that the EU's export capacity in this segment has strengthened relative to its domestic market size.

2. Geographic Reorientation: Emerging Partners Gain Ground

Behind the aggregate numbers, the geographic composition of EU trade in MRI scanners shifted dramatically. Traditional partners lost share on one or both sides, while emerging economies — notably China and India — grew into far more significant roles.

2.1 The United States remained the EU's largest export market, while China and Japan declined

The United States was by far the EU's largest extra-EU export destination throughout the period, with exports rising from €511 million to €704 million (+37.8%). In contrast, exports to China fell sharply from €241 million to €155 million (−35.8%), and exports to Japan dropped from €133 million to €74 million (−44.3%). This likely reflects the maturation of domestic MRI manufacturing in China (notably by United Imaging and other local producers) and continued strength of Japanese domestic producers like Canon Medical and Hitachi.

Notably, exports to Russia doubled (+101.5%) and exports to India more than doubled (+123.8%), reflecting growing healthcare infrastructure investment in both markets.

2.2 China and India emerged as major import sources, while the US share eroded

On the import side, the most striking development was the surge in imports from China, which rose from €102 million to €269 million (+164.7%), and from India, which surged from just €2 million to €85 million (+3,918%). The United Kingdom also grew substantially as an import source (+61.1%, from €247 million to €397 million), partly reflecting post-Brexit trade recording effects and the presence of significant MRI-related manufacturing in the UK. Meanwhile, imports from the United States declined by 23.3%, from €459 million to €353 million.

2.3 Import concentration declined as the EU diversified its supplier base

The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) for imports by value fell from 3,758 to 2,646 (−29.6%), moving from a moderately concentrated market toward a less concentrated one. This reflects the declining share of the United States and the rise of multiple alternative suppliers. On the export side, the HHI rose slightly from 1,246 to 1,473 (+18.3%), indicating a modest increase in export concentration — driven by the growing dominance of the US as an export destination.

3. Industrial Backbone: Germany and the Netherlands Anchor EU Production

Behind the trade flows, the EU's MRI manufacturing sector consolidated and expanded its output, with two member states dominating the production landscape.

3.1 Germany and the Netherlands account for the vast majority of EU MRI exports

According to specialisation data for 2025, Germany holds a revealed symmetric comparative advantage (RSCA) of 0.38 and an RCA of 2.25 in MRI scanners, accounting for 47.5% of EU production value in this product. The Netherlands follows closely with an RSCA of 0.36 and RCA of 2.12, capturing 30.7% of production value. Together, these two countries represent nearly 80% of the EU's MRI production base and supply the bulk of extra-EU exports. France holds a modest RCA of 1.20, while all other EU members show RCA values below 1, indicating no comparative advantage in this high-tech segment.

3.2 Germany anchored EU export growth; Poland and Denmark emerged as new exporters

At the member-state level, Germany's extra-EU exports rose from €1.07 billion to €1.25 billion (+17.2%), remaining the undisputed leader. The Netherlands' exports declined modestly from €538 million to €485 million (−9.9%). The most dramatic growth came from Poland (from €1.5 million to €45.6 million, +2,962%) and Denmark (from €2.3 million to €18.9 million, +734%), suggesting the emergence of new manufacturing or assembly capacity in Central and Northern Europe. On the import side, Germany was also the largest importer (€553 million in 2025, +64.8%), followed by the Netherlands (€356 million, −5.4%), and France (€179 million, +94.4%).

3.3 EU production value nearly doubled, signalling industrial expansion

EU production value in MRI scanners rose from approximately €2.0 billion to €4.0 billion (+97.5%) over the period. This near-doubling of production value, combined with the moderate growth in exports, implies that a growing share of EU output is being absorbed by intra-EU demand or is being exported through channels not captured in extra-EU flows alone. It also points to sustained capital investment in MRI manufacturing across the bloc, likely driven by hospital modernisation cycles and the increasing clinical adoption of MRI in diagnostics.

3.4 Trade volatility varied sharply by partner

Volatility analysis reveals that import flows from newer suppliers are significantly more volatile than those from established partners. Imports from India showed the highest coefficient of variation (CV = 1.13), followed by Türkiye (0.84) and Switzerland (0.54), while imports from the United States (CV = 0.13) and the United Kingdom (CV = 0.20) were far more stable. On the export side, flows to the US (CV = 0.17) and India (CV = 0.17) were relatively stable, while exports to Iran (CV = 0.56) and Ukraine (CV = 0.48) were more erratic, likely reflecting geopolitical disruptions. Two notable shock events were detected: a significant import price shock from China in 2017 (abnormality score of 86.2, with a 21.3% price shift) and a milder export price shock to China in 2022 (abnormality of 23.6).

Conclusion

Over the 2015–2025 decade, the EU's trade in MRI scanners underwent a structural rebalancing. The bloc remained a major net exporter, backed by strong industrial capacity in Germany and the Netherlands and a near-doubling of production value to €4.0 billion. However, the trade surplus narrowed from €868 million to €796 million as imports grew twice as fast as exports in percentage terms. The most significant geographic shift was the rapid rise of China and India on the import side — reflecting the maturation of Asian MRI manufacturing — and the declining share of the United States as both an import source and, relative to its growth, an export destination of diminishing dominance. While the EU diversified its import supplier base (import HHI fell 29.6%), its export concentration modestly increased, with growing reliance on the US market. Emerging member states like Poland and Denmark began to carve out niche roles in MRI exports, but the industry's gravitational centre within the EU remained firmly in Germany and the Netherlands. The key risk ahead lies in the accelerating import penetration from cost-competitive Asian manufacturers, which will continue to test the EU's premium positioning in this capital-intensive, technology-driven market.