(BRUSSELS) - The 15 nations sharing the euro saw their trade balance with the rest of the world swing into a deficit in May, official EU data showed on Friday.

In May 2007, the eurozone chalked up a trade surplus of 1.4 billion euros, according to Eurostat.

The eurozone recorded a trade deficit of 4.6 billion euros (7.3 billion dollars) in May this year after an April deficit of 2.5 billion euros, the European Union's Eurostat data agency said.

Imports rose 9.0 percent in May over one year to 133.3 billion euros, while exports rose 4.0 percent to 128.4 billion euros, Eurostat said.

Meanwhile, the 27-nation EU showed a trade deficit of 21.5 billion euros in May, up from a deficit of 15.4 billion euros in April and a shortfall of 14.7 billion euros in May 2007.

May 2008 Euro area external trade deficit EUR 4.6bn - EUR 21.5bn deficit for EU27 - Eurostat

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