Spain has overtaken Germany as Bangladesh’s largest apparel market in the European Union, with shipments rising 13.73 per cent to $1.15 billion in July–September while exports to Germany slipped 0.15 per cent to $1.12 billion.
A year earlier, Germany had led with $1.12 billion against Spain’s $1.01 billion, according to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data compiled by apparel-sector research platform Bangladesh Apparel Voice (BAV).
Overall readymade garment (RMG) exports to the EU rose 3.33 per cent to $4.90 billion from $4.75 billion in the first quarter of fiscal 2026-27, adding $157.92 million year on year.
Spain alone contributed $138.62 million of that increase, or nearly 88 per cent of the bloc’s net gain.
BAV Founder and CEO Mohiuddin Rubel said the figures showed that EU growth was being driven disproportionately by Spain while performance across other major markets remained uneven.
Spain’s share of Bangladesh’s EU apparel exports rose to 23.42 per cent in July–September, edging past Germany’s 22.90 per cent.
The Netherlands remained the third-largest market, with exports rising 9.02 per cent to $597.49 million from $548.06 million. Its share of EU-bound shipments reached 12.18 per cent.
France moved in the opposite direction. Exports fell 4.91 per cent to $449.41 million from $472.60 million, giving the market a 9.16 per cent share.
Poland remained the fifth-largest destination, with shipments rising 5.77 per cent to $401.93 million from $380.02 million and accounting for 8.20 per cent of exports to the bloc.
Rubel said the market split showed growth was not broad-based: Spain, the Netherlands and Poland expanded while Germany stagnated and France contracted.
Exports to the remaining EU countries collectively fell 2.24 per cent to $1.18 billion from $1.21 billion, accounting for 24.14 per cent of Bangladesh’s EU apparel shipments.
September offered a stronger overall picture. RMG exports to the EU rose 5.53 per cent to $1.41 billion from $1.34 billion a year earlier.
Spain’s September shipments rose 19.03 per cent to $343.46 million from $288.55 million, giving it a 24.36 per cent share of EU exports during the month.
Germany fell 2.68 per cent to $318.24 million, with a 22.57 per cent share, while the Netherlands rose 10.58 per cent to $157.60 million.
France declined 3.88 per cent to $145.87 million.
Poland recorded the sharpest September growth among the five leading markets, jumping 30.25 per cent to $116.36 million from $89.34 million. Its monthly share reached 8.25 per cent.
Exports to other EU countries fell 2.52 per cent to $328.57 million in September from $337.05 million a year earlier.
Rubel said the data pointed to a changing composition of Bangladesh’s European apparel business, with Spain emerging as the largest individual market while growth remained concentrated in only a handful of destinations.
Without Spain’s $138.62 million increase, Bangladesh’s net first-quarter RMG export gain in the EU would have been only about $19.30 million.
