Eurozone's trade surplus declined in December from a month earlier, the latest figures published by Eurostat revealed Friday.

The surplus fell to EUR 11.7 billion in December from a revised EUR 13 billion in the previous month. Economists expected the surplus to fall to EUR 13.1 billion from November's originally estimated EUR 13.7 billion.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, exports fell 1.8 percent between December and November. Imports declined 3 percent. Annually, exports fell 3 percent and imports were down 6 percent.

During 2012, euro area trade in goods recorded a surplus of EUR 81.8 billion, compared with EUR 15.7 billion shortfall in 2011. The EU 27 recorded a trade deficit of EUR 104.6 billion in 2012 compared with a deficit of EUR 162.7 billion in 2011.