External trade, January - April 2017

According to the preliminary data of the State Statistical Office, the total value of exported goods from the Republic of Macedonia in the period January-April 2017 amounted to 93 959 795 thousand denars, a 12.7% increase compared to the same period last year. The value of imported goods in the same period was 129 302 397 thousand denars, or 11.2% more than the same period last year.

The trade deficit in the period January-April 2017 was 35 342 602 thousand denars.

Import coverage by export in the period January-April 2017 was 72.7%.

The external trade by products shows that in the exports the most significant products are supported catalysts with precious metal or precious metal compounds as the active substance, ignition wiring sets and other wiring sets of a kind used in vehicles, aircraft or ships, ferro-nickel and clothes. In the imports, the most significant products are the platinum and platinum alloys, unwrought or in powder form, petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (other than crude), other metals of the platinum group and alloys thereof, unwrought or in powder form and electricity.

In the period January-April 2017, according to the total external trade volume, the most important trade partners of the Republic of Macedonia were Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria.

Number of active business entities, 2013

According to the data of the State Statistical Office the number of active business entities in the Republic of Macedonia in 2013 was 71 290.
The sectors with the highest share in the structure of business entities were: Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles with 25 429 entities or 35.7% and Manufacturing with 7 918 entities or 11.1%, whereas the least represented were the sectors Mining and quarrying with 164 entities or 0.2% and Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply with 132 entities or 0.2%.
The data on the structure of active business entities according to the number of persons employed show that the highest share of 85% belongs to business entities with 1-9 persons employed, followed by business entities with no persons employed or entities with unascertained number of persons employed (no data on persons employed) with 6.2%, and entities with 10-19 persons employed with 4.2%. The share of entities with 20-49 persons employed was 2.5%, those with 50-249 persons employed participated with 1.8%, while entities with 250 or more persons employed had a share of only 0.3%.

According to the data of the State Statistical Office- Turnover indices in the Trade Sector, December 2013

In retail trade, in December 2013, in comparison with December 2012, the turnover decreased in the following groups/classes: Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco (by 14.4% in nominal terms and 16.2% in real terms), Retail trade, except automotive fuel (by 7.1% in nominal terms and 9.3% in real terms), and Retail trade of automotive fuel (by 5.3% in nominal terms and 2.2% in real terms).

Трговија на мало, освен трговија со моторни возила и мотоцикли 105,5 Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles
Трговија на мало со храна, пијалаци и тутун 103,7 Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco (G47_FOOD)
Трговија на мало со непрехранбени продукти, освен гориво 118,6 Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel) (G47_NFOOD_X_G473)
Трговија на мало, освен трговија со горива 110,5 Retail trade, except automotive fuel (G47_X_G473)
Трговија на мало со автомобилски горива 89,7 Retail trade of automotive fuel (G473)

Trade Association is a professional form of organizing and operating within the Economic Chamber of Macedonia, through which members of the Chamber of trade sector, decide independently and perform tasks of interest to the appropriate activity.
Association unites and articulates the interests of the legal entities whose main activity is wholesale or retail trade.
Members of the Association have the opportunity according to their needs and interests to establish a permanent organizational forms through which will identify, define and sublimate specific interests.
The main goals and objectives of this Association are primarily:
- Examining issues related to improving the operation and solving the current problems in the sector, performing economic propaganda and organizing fairs, and business delegations that are of specific interest to the members of the Association;
- Harmonization of arising controversies and different interests within the their sector, having into account the interests of the economy as a whole;
- Adoption of conclusions and proposing of measures of common interest to the members, which are not contrary to the legal regulations and good business practices;
- Reviewing draft laws and other regulations, providing opinions and proposals on issues of common interest to the members and initiates adoption of amendments thereof;
- Initiating and achieving cooperation on issues of common interest to the members of other associations within the Chamber and international cooperation in accordance with program activities and general acts of the Chamber;
- Improving the business climate in the country by encouraging the implementation of European rules and standards and permanent functional education and updating of knowledge of experts from the sector;
- Promotes Chamber as compulsory, neutral place of business consulting on all issues of interest to the economy;
- Building a stable and profound partnership with relevant state bodies and institutions, especially with the Ministry of Economy and competent inspection authorities, aimed at creation of solid climate and fair competitive basis.
Collaboration and partnership with relevant state bodies and institutions is of particular importance, whose benefit would be in the ability to proactively prevention the adoption and implementation of laws and bylaws in combating the gray economy and unfair competition in the market, etc. This collaboration results in increased efficiency, good economic climate, continuous quality growth and economic prosperity.
Benefits of partnership should be shared.

Trade Association
Trade Association is a professional form of organizing and operating within the Economic Chamber of Macedonia, through which members of the Chamber of trade sector, decide independently and perform tasks of interest to the appropriate activity.
Association unites and articulates the interests of the legal entities whose main activity is wholesale or retail trade.
Members of the Association have the opportunity according to their needs and interests to establish a permanent organizational forms through which will identify, define and sublimate specific interests.
The main goals and objectives of this Association are primarily:
- Examining issues related to improving the operation and solving the current problems in the sector, performing economic propaganda and organizing fairs, and business delegations that are of specific interest to the members of the Association;
- Harmonization of arising controversies and different interests within the their sector, having into account the interests of the economy as a whole;
- Adoption of conclusions and proposing of measures of common interest to the members, which are not contrary to the legal regulations and good business practices;
- Reviewing draft laws and other regulations, providing opinions and proposals on issues of common interest to the members and initiates adoption of amendments thereof;
- Initiating and achieving cooperation on issues of common interest to the members of other associations within the Chamber and international cooperation in accordance with program activities and general acts of the Chamber;
- Improving the business climate in the country by encouraging the implementation of European rules and standards and permanent functional education and updating of knowledge of experts from the sector;
- Promotes Chamber as compulsory, neutral place of business consulting on all issues of interest to the economy;
- Building a stable and profound partnership with relevant state bodies and institutions, especially with the Ministry of Economy and competent inspection authorities, aimed at creation of solid climate and fair competitive basis.
Collaboration and partnership with relevant state bodies and institutions is of particular importance, whose benefit would be in the ability to proactively prevention the adoption and implementation of laws and bylaws in combating the gray economy and unfair competition in the market, etc. This collaboration results in increased efficiency, good economic climate, continuous quality growth and economic prosperity.
Benefits of partnership should be shared.