--February Non-EU Trade Surplus: L327 Bln
--January EU Trade Deficit: L208 Bln
--January World Trade Deficit: L2.168 Tln

By Giorgio Schiavoni

ROME (MktNews) - Italy's non-EU trade balance was roughly unchanged in February compared with the year before, posting a surplus of 327 billion lire, compared with a L396 bln surplus in February 2000, national statistics institute ISTAT reported Monday.
An ISTAT spokesman said that "February non-EU data showed both imports and exports posting small rises compared with recent months, due mainly to technical reasons."
February's non-EU imports were up 8.0% year-on-year, ISTAT said, well below a rise of 31.5% the previous month, while exports were up 7.5% after a 29.5% increase in January.
Italy posted a trade deficit with its EU trading partners in January of L208 bln (EU trade data are reported a month behind that for non-EU trade), compared with a deficit of L973 bln in January 2000.
EU exports rose 31.8% from January 2000 -- the highest year-on-year rise since August -- and imports were up 25.2%.
January's data with the EU may be seen as mildly encouraging by those who have voiced concern recently over Italy's competitiveness, particularly vis-a-vis its EMU partners. December's data also showed a narrowing of the trade deficit with EU countries compared with the year before.
The country's world trade deficit in January stood at L2.168 tln, with imports rising 28.2% year-on-year and exports up 30.7%. Both imports and exports posted the highest increases since August.