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€35.7 bn surplus for trade in services

Overview

In the third quarter of 2024, the EU seasonally adjusted current account of the balance of payments recorded a surplus of €106.0 billion (+2.4% of GDP), compared with a surplus of €136.2 billion (+3.1% of GDP) in the second quarter of 2024 and a surplus of €99.4 billion (+2.3% of GDP) in the third quarter of 2023, according to estimates released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

EU current and capital accounts

In the third quarter of 2024 compared with the second quarter of 2024, based on seasonally adjusted data

  • the surplus of the goods account decreased (+€86.2 bn compared to +€99.9 bn),

  • the surplus of the services account decreased (+€35.7 bn compared to +€54.8 bn),

  • the surplus of the primary income account increased (+€10.9 bn compared to +€10.1 bn) and

  • the deficit of the secondary income account decreased (-€26.7 bn compared to -€28.6 bn).

In addition, during the same period, the deficit of the capital account decreased (-€8.3 bn compared to -€9.3 bn).

Current account balance

   

EU current and capital accounts
– calendar and seasonally adjusted (bn euro) –

Current account

 Goods

Services

Primary income

Secondary income

Current account as
% of GDP

Capital account

Q3 2023

Credit

1351.8

641.2

350.0

320.2

40.5

31.3%

19.3

Debit

1252.5

554.4

315.7

316.2

66.1

29.0%

25.7

Balance 

99.4

86.8

34.3

4.0

-25.7

2.3%

-6.4

Q4 2023

Credit

1333.4

630.3

360.6

301.0

41.5

30.5%

31.9

Debit

1238.2

552.0

317.0

300.8

68.5

28.3%

37.6

Balance

95.2

78.4

43.6

0.2

-27.0

2.2%

-5.6

Q1 2024

Credit

1382.1

651.9

374.6

314.6

41.0

31.3%

12.2

Debit

1249.6

540.1

329.1

313.8

66.5

28.3%

25.5

Balance

132.5

111.8

45.5

0.8

-25.6

3.0%

-13.3

Q2 2024

Credit

1427.1

663.3

394.6

327.6

41.7

32.0%

16.6

Debit

1290.9

563.3

339.8

317.5

70.3

29.0%

25.9

Balance

136.2

99.9

54.8

10.1

-28.6

3.1%

-9.3

Q3 2024

Credit

1398.3

652.2

376.7

325.8

43.6

31.1%

16.0

Debit

1292.3

566.1

341.0

314.9

70.3

28.7%

24.3

Balance

106.0

86.2

35.7

10.9

-26.7

2.4%

-8.3

Euro area current account
– calendar and seasonally adjusted (bn euro) –

2023

2024

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Current account balance

68.1

71.6

107.8

134.4

84.1

Balance of trade in goods

77.7

75.3

107.0

99.2

83.9

Balance of trade in services

31.4

33.6

33.4

51.2

34.1

Balance of primary income

4.0

7.1

0.7

26.7

8.4

Balance of secondary income

-44.9

-44.4

-33.2

-42.6

-42.4

Current account balance as % of GDP

1.9%

1.9%

2.9%

3.6%

2.2%

EU main partners

In the third quarter of 2024, based on non-seasonally adjusted data, the EU recorded current account surpluses with the United Kingdom (+€68.7 bn), the USA (+€33.2 bn), Switzerland (+€23.5 bn), Canada (+€11.6 bn), Hong Kong (+€9.7 bn), Brazil (+€8.9 bn), offshore financial centres (+€6.1 bn), Japan (+€5.3 bn) and Russia (+€1.5 bn). Deficits were registered with China (-€49.1 bn) and India (-€0.6 bn).

EU financial account

Based on non-seasonally adjusted data, in the third quarter of 2024

  • direct investment assets of the EU increased by €11.8 bn and

  • direct investment liabilities decreased by €9.7 bn.

As a result, the EU was a net direct investor to the rest of the world with net outflows of €21.6 bn.

At the same time,

  • portfolio investment recorded a net inflow of €73.5 bn, while

  • other investment recorded a net outflow of €225.3 bn.

EU financial account
– neither calendar nor seasonally adjusted (bn euro) –

2023

2024

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Net financial account

59.8

39.8

168.1

145.7

161.7

Net acquisition of assets

142.6

-404.3

599.4

114.1

415.3

Net incurrence of liabilities

82.7

-444.1

431.3

-31.6

253.6

Net direct investment

-28.5

-27.1

160.1

86.6

21.6

Net acquisition of assets

-1.8

-362.4

162.0

-67.7

11.8

Net incurrence of liabilities

26.7

-335.3

1.9

-154.3

-9.7

Net portfolio investment

-18.6

-71.5

-56.0

-91.5

-73.5

Net acquisition of assets

104.8

29.0

146.3

144.5

154.8

Net incurrence of liabilities

123.4

100.5

202.2

236.0

228.3

Net other investment

107.6

109.7

29.6

122.1

225.3

Net acquisition of assets

40.3

-99.5

256.7

8.7

260.4

Net incurrence of liabilities

-67.3

-209.3

227.1

-113.3

35.1

Net financial derivatives and employee stock options

4.1

18.8

10.4

19.0

-10.9

Reserve assets

-4.8

9.9

24.0

9.6

-0.8

Current account of Member States (including intra-EU flows)

As concerns the total (intra-EU plus extra-EU) current account balances of the EU Member States, based on available non-seasonally adjusted data, nineteen Member States recorded surpluses, seven recorded deficits and one Member State had its current account in balance in the third quarter of 2024. The highest surpluses were observed in Germany (+€53.8 bn), the Netherlands (+€26.7 bn), Ireland (+€23.0 bn), Spain (+€15.7 bn), Denmark (+€14.9 bn), Italy (+€10.5 bn) and Sweden (+€8.2 bn). The largest deficits were recorded for Romania (-€9.0 bn), Poland (-€4.3 bn) and Belgium (‑€1.6 bn).

Tables

EU current account, breakdown by main partner countries
– neither calendar nor seasonally adjusted (bn euro) –

Partner

Period

Credit

Debit

Balance

Total

Q3 2023

1346.5

1232.4

114.1

Q3 2024

1403.9

1276.9

127.0

United Kingdom

Q3 2023

247.4

172.9

74.5

Q3 2024

239.9

171.3

68.7

USA

Q3 2023

293.9

286.7

7.2

Q3 2024

321.9

288.6

33.2

Switzerland

Q3 2023

110.2

91.1

19.1

Q3 2024

116.6

93.1

23.5

China*

Q3 2023

87.6

123.3

-35.7

Q3 2024

90.3

139.4

-49.1

Russia

Q3 2023

16.5

15.6

0.9

Q3 2024

14.6

13.1

1.5

Japan

Q3 2023

32.8

31.9

0.9

Q3 2024

35.8

30.6

5.3

Canada

Q3 2023

27.4

16.4

11.0

Q3 2024

28.2

16.6

11.6

Hong Kong

Q3 2023

18.6

10.4

8.1

Q3 2024

21.7

12.0

9.7

India

Q3 2023

22.9

22.8

0.1

Q3 2024

23.1

23.7

-0.6

Brazil

Q3 2023

21.3

14.6

6.7

Q3 2024

24.3

15.4

8.9

Offshore financial centres

Q3 2023

85.2

71.3

13.9

Q3 2024

88.1

82.0

6.1

Other countries

Q3 2023

401.5

386.0

15.6

Q3 2024

421.2

403.2

18.0

EU goods account, breakdown by main partner countries
– neither calendar nor seasonally adjusted (bn euro) –

Partner

Period

Credit

Debit

Balance

Total

Q3 2023

629.9

555.8

74.1

Q3 2024

648.9

567.6

81.3

United Kingdom

Q3 2023

88.3

46.0

42.3

Q3 2024

88.8

43.5

45.3

USA

Q3 2023

126.4

69.5

56.9

Q3 2024

141.7

70.9

70.9

Switzerland

Q3 2023

39.2

33.5

5.7

Q3 2024

38.2

31.2

7.0

China*

Q3 2023

62.2

109.4

-47.2

Q3 2024

59.5

123.8

-64.3

Russia

Q3 2023

8.7

10.6

-1.9

Q3 2024

8.2

8.2

0.0

Japan

Q3 2023

16.1

16.0

0.2

Q3 2024

17.3

13.6

3.7

Canada

Q3 2023

13.1

5.6

7.5

Q3 2024

12.9

5.6

7.2

Hong Kong

Q3 2023

8.4

4.1

4.3

Q3 2024

8.7

5.0

3.6

India

Q3 2023

12.5

13.9

-1.4

Q3 2024

12.4

13.8

-1.4

Brazil

Q3 2023

6.2

10.1

-3.9

Q3 2024

9.0

10.8

-1.8

Offshore financial centres

Q3 2023

25.7

14.6

11.1

Q3 2024

21.8

14.9

6.9

Other countries

Q3 2023

231.5

226.7

4.8

Q3 2024

239.0

231.3

7.7

EU services account, breakdown by main partner countries
– neither calendar nor seasonally adjusted (bn euro) –

Partner

Period

Credit

Debit

Balance

Total

Q3 2023

364.7

308.2

56.5

Q3 2024

395.9

335.4

60.5

United Kingdom

Q3 2023

74.8

55.5

19.3

Q3 2024

79.8

60.0

19.9

USA

Q3 2023

78.8

105.3

-26.5

Q3 2024

83.9

115.1

-31.2

Switzerland

Q3 2023

39.0

22.1

16.9

Q3 2024

41.6

23.6

18.0

China*

Q3 2023

14.7

10.0

4.7

Q3 2024

17.5

11.4

6.1

Russia

Q3 2023

3.0

1.1

1.9

Q3 2024

2.6

1.0

1.6

Japan

Q3 2023

8.8

5.0

3.8

Q3 2024

9.3

5.2

4.1

Canada

Q3 2023

7.5

6.2

1.4

Q3 2024

7.8

5.9

1.9

Hong Kong

Q3 2023

6.0

3.3

2.8

Q3 2024

8.7

3.9

4.8

India

Q3 2023

6.6

7.9

-1.2

Q3 2024

7.4

8.7

-1.4

Brazil

Q3 2023

5.1

2.2

2.9

Q3 2024

5.7

2.4

3.3

Offshore financial centres

Q3 2023

22.8

23.6

-0.8

Q3 2024

26.4

27.0

-0.6

Other countries

Q3 2023

103.7

69.5

34.1

Q3 2024

113.8

75.1

38.7

EU direct investment, breakdown by main partner countries
– neither calendar nor seasonally adjusted (bn euro) –

Partner

Period

Net acquisition of
Assets

Net incurrence of
Liabilities

Net

Total

Q3 2023

-1.8

26.7

-28.5

Q3 2024

11.8

-9.7

21.6

United Kingdom

Q3 2023

21.7

24.5

-2.8

Q3 2024

13.7

-5.6

19.3

USA

Q3 2023

-14.0

-0.2

-13.8

Q3 2024

2.7

-12.5

15.3

Switzerland

Q3 2023

-9.0

14.8

-23.8

Q3 2024

-11.9

14.4

-26.4

China*

Q3 2023

-3.5

-1.7

-1.9

Q3 2024

-3.5

0.9

-4.3

Russia

Q3 2023

-4.6

-0.6

-4.0

Q3 2024

0.9

-0.3

1.3

Japan

Q3 2023

2.9

1.1

1.7

Q3 2024

3.5

0.2

3.3

Canada

Q3 2023

1.9

-1.4

3.3

Q3 2024

-0.1

-3.9

3.8

Hong Kong

Q3 2023

-1.9

0.5

-2.4

Q3 2024

-3.6

-11.3

7.6

India

Q3 2023

1.6

0.8

0.8

Q3 2024

2.3

1.1

1.2

Brazil

Q3 2023

4.7

-2.5

7.3

Q3 2024

4.7

0.0

4.6

Offshore financial centres

Q3 2023

-0.6

9.7

-10.3

Q3 2024

-26.7

-10.3

-16.5

Other countries

Q3 2023

-2.8

-17.8

15.0

Q3 2024

26.3

6.3

20.0

Current accounts balances – national data (intra-EU + extra-EU)
– neither calendar nor seasonally adjusted (bn euro) –

2023

2024

Countries

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Belgium

-1.5

3.9

2.0

-1.5

-1.6

Bulgaria

0.4

0.1

0.1

-0.1

1.6

Czechia

0.0

0.4

4.0

-0.3

-0.4

Denmark

8.4

10.7

7.8

13.7

14.9

Germany

58.4

76.5

76.3

58.9

53.8

Estonia

-0.5

0.2

-0.2

-0.2

-0.3

Ireland

18.6

-0.5

14.9

35.5

23.0

Greece

1.2

-7.3

-3.8

-4.5

0.3

Spain

11.5

8.8

12.0

13.2

15.7

France

-8.5

4.3

-6.5

-1.6

0.2

Croatia

5.1

-1.0

-2.9

-1.2

4.8

Italy

6.0

4.1

1.7

8.6

10.5

Cyprus

-0.4

-0.5

-0.9

-0.1

0.0

Latvia

-0.6

-0.1

-0.1

-0.4

-0.5

Lithuania

0.4

0.3

0.7

0.6

0.5

Luxembourg

2.5

0.0

1.7

2.1

2.2

Hungary

0.4

-1.1

3.0

2.1

0.7

Malta

0.6

0.3

0.2

0.4

0.5

Netherlands

22.3

33.2

28.1

25.6

26.7

Austria

1.0

3.8

8.1

0.7

1.5

Poland

1.9

3.2

4.6

0.5

-4.3

Portugal

2.6

-1.1

1.8

1.1

3.4

Romania

-6.9

-5.7

-4.3

-7.7

-9.0

Slovenia

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.7

1.1

Slovakia

-0.5

-1.0

-0.2

-0.2

-0.9

Finland

1.1

1.0

-0.3

-1.9

2.3

Sweden

9.3

9.7

9.9

14.4

8.2

Iceland

0.6

-0.1

-0.2

-0.3

0.3

Norway

16.0

19.0

18.8

17.4

18.0

Switzerland

16.6

14.4

9.1

18.8

6.6

Bosnia and Herzegovina

0.0

-0.2

-0.5

-0.3

0.0

Montenegro

0.2

-0.4

-0.4

-0.4

0.1

North Macedonia

0.2

-0.1

-0.2

-0.1

0.3

Albania

0.4

-0.2

-0.4

-0.2

0.4

Serbia

-0.2

-1.0

-0.4

-0.8

-2.1

Türkiye

-1.6

-4.1

-8.9

-4.4

8.4

Kosovo*  

0.2

-0.4

-0.3

-0.4

0.2

Services accounts balances – national data (intra-EU + extra-EU)
– neither calendar nor seasonally adjusted (bn euro) –

2023

2024

Countries

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Belgium

-3.0

1.1

-1.5

-2.9

-4.3

Bulgaria

2.8

1.8

1.4

1.9

2.8

Czechia

1.1

0.7

1.1

1.3

1.2

Denmark

0.7

-0.5

0.0

1.4

3.7

Germany

-25.1

-12.9

-12.2

-20.4

-28.5

Estonia

0.6

0.7

0.6

0.8

0.8

Ireland

10.8

-7.3

9.3

24.5

9.9

Greece

12.4

2.8

1.4

6.0

12.0

Spain

30.8

20.6

19.5

27.4

32.4

France

8.7

9.7

7.7

16.5

15.0

Croatia

9.4

1.8

0.9

3.4

9.0

Italy

3.1

-3.9

-5.3

1.5

3.2

Cyprus

2.2

2.1

1.3

2.3

2.7

Latvia

0.7

0.5

0.4

0.6

0.6

Lithuania

2.0

1.8

2.0

2.3

2.3

Luxembourg

6.8

7.1

7.0

7.2

6.8

Hungary

3.0

2.4

2.1

2.6

3.2

Malta

1.8

1.5

1.5

1.8

1.9

Netherlands

7.0

10.5

7.8

12.1

8.9

Austria

0.2

1.2

5.2

-0.8

-0.4

Poland

10.0

9.7

9.3

10.4

10.3

Portugal

10.1

6.1

6.2

7.5

10.8

Romania

3.1

3.2

2.9

3.0

2.4

Slovenia

1.0

0.8

0.8

0.9

1.1

Slovakia

0.2

0.1

0.1

0.2

0.2

Finland

-1.8

-2.5

-1.4

-1.3

-0.6

Sweden

-0.7

-2.6

-2.1

-1.4

-2.1

Iceland

1.1

0.2

0.1

0.4

0.9

Norway

-2.1

-2.4

-2.1

-2.3

-0.3

Switzerland

-6.3

-9.1

-6.1

-7.0

-8.5

Bosnia and Herzegovina

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.5

0.7

Montenegro

1.0

0.2

0.1

0.4

0.9

North Macedonia

0.3

0.2

0.3

0.2

0.4

Albania

1.3

0.7

0.6

0.9

1.5

Serbia

0.6

0.9

0.7

0.8

0.3

Türkiye

20.5

11.3

7.6

14.0

22.1

Kosovo* 

0.9

0.2

0.3

0.3

1.0

Notes for users

Revisions and timetable

The EU balance of payments estimates for the reference quarter are based on figures provided by the Member States to Eurostat 82 days (euro area Member States) or 85 days (non-euro area Member States) after the end of the reference quarter and should be considered as provisional. Figures may be subject to revision when data for later quarters are transmitted by the Member States.

A more limited set of monthly data is available in the Eurostat on-line database approximately 51 days after the end of the reference month. The publication timetable of balance of payments statistics for 2025 is available here.

Methods and definitions

The current account covers all transactions occurring between resident and non-resident entities, and refers to international trade in goods and services, as well as primary and secondary income. The capital account comprises capital transfers and the acquisition and disposal of non-produced, non-financial assets. The financial account records transactions that involve financial assets and liabilities, and take place between residents and non-residents and is further subdivided into direct investment, portfolio investment, other investment, financial derivatives and employee stock options and reserve assets. Further details of the statistical concepts and definitions used can be found on the Eurostat website here.

In line with the agreed allocation of responsibility, the European Central Bank (ECB) is in charge of compiling and disseminating monthly and quarterly balance of payments and quarterly international investment position statistics for the euro area, while the European Commission (Eurostat) is responsible for monthly, quarterly and annual aggregates of the EU. The aggregates for the euro area and the EU are compiled consistently on the basis of Member States' transactions with residents of countries outside the euro area and the European Union respectively.

Geographical information

The European Union (EU27) includes Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.

The euro area (EA20) includes Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland.

Offshore Financial Centres (OFC) is an aggregate that includes 40 countries. As example, the aggregate contains financial centres such as Liechtenstein, Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man, Andorra, Gibraltar, Panama, Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines.

For more information

Get in touch

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Eurostat Media Support

Phone: (+352) 4301 33 408

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Further information on data

Peter POSPISIL

Phone: (+352) 4301 34 324

Matthias LUDWIG

Phone: (+352) 4301 38 380

E-mail: ESTAT-BOP@ec.europa.eu

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