FRANKFURT (MktNews) - Germany trade surplus stood at DM77.2 billi he first six months of 2001, up 34% compared to the same period a earlier, as exports rose faster than imports, the Federal istics Office said Monday. Exports rose 11.4% y/y to DM626.4 billion in the first six month he year, while imports rose at a slower pace of 8.8% y/y to stand M549.2 billion. In in the first half of 2000, Germany's trade surplus stood at .5 billion, on exports of DM562.4 billion (+18.9% y/y) and import M504.9 billion (+23.2% y/y). This year, exports to non-EU nations grew fastest, up 16.2% to 4.9 billion, perhaps aided by the weak euro exchange rate. Export ther eurozone countries grew 8.1% y/y to DM276.7 billion in the t six months, rising slightly faster than exports to all the memb he European Union, up 7.8% y/y at DM351.5 billion. Imports showed a different pattern, with non-EU imports rising est, +8.4% y/y at DM260.9 billion. Eurozone imports rose +10% y/y 2.1 billion, while EU imports rose 9.1% y/y to DM288.3 billion