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€47.4 bn surplus for trade in services

Overview

In the fourth quarter of 2024, the EU seasonally adjusted current account of the balance of payments recorded a surplus of €113.2 billion (+2.5% of GDP), compared with a surplus of €107.5 billion (+2.4% of GDP) in the third quarter of 2024 and a surplus of €103.4 billion (+2.4% of GDP) in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to estimates released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

EU current and capital accounts

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

  • the surplus of the goods account increased (+€88.1 bn compared to +€86.1 bn),

  • the surplus of the services account increased (+€47.4 bn compared to +€38.8 bn),

  • the surplus of the primary income account decreased (+€3.7 bn compared to +€9.8 bn) and

  • the deficit of the secondary income account decreased (-€26.0 bn compared to -€27.3 bn).

In addition, during the same period, the deficit of the capital account decreased (-€5.9 bn compared to -€7.6 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

Q4 2023

Credit

1 347.2

639.2

365.6

301.4

41.0

30.8%

32.2

Debit

1 243.8

553.9

321.6

299.9

68.4

28.4%

39.7

Balance 

103.4

85.3

44.0

1.5

-27.5

2.4%

-7.6

Q1 2024

Credit

1 385.6

651.6

379.7

313.2

41.1

31.3%

12.2

Debit

1 253.4

541.3

333.2

311.1

67.8

28.4%

25.3

Balance

132.2

110.4

46.5

2.1

-26.7

3.0%

-13.1

Q2 2024

Credit

1 427.2

662.0

397.6

325.8

41.9

32.0%

16.5

Debit

1 293.2

563.4

342.0

316.5

71.3

29.0%

25.1

Balance

133.9

98.5

55.6

9.3

-29.5

3.0%

-8.6

Q3 2024

Credit

1 402.0

651.2

380.9

325.9

44.0

31.1%

15.8

Debit

1 294.5

565.1

342.0

316.1

71.3

28.7%

23.5

Balance

107.5

86.1

38.8

9.8

-27.3

2.4%

-7.6

Q4 2024

Credit

1 425.5

651.7

390.3

333.3

50.3

31.3%

16.0

Debit

1 312.3

563.6

342.9

329.6

76.3

28.8%

21.9

Balance

113.2

88.1

47.4

3.7

-26.0

2.5%

-5.9

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

2023

2024

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Current account balance

79.0

108.9

133.4

90.1

83.2

Balance of trade in goods

83.4

105.3

97.5

84.1

84.2

Balance of trade in services

34.9

34.3

52.0

35.6

46.0

Balance of primary income

5.5

3.9

28.2

13.2

3.3

Balance of secondary income

-44.9

-34.6

-44.2

-42.8

-50.3

Current account balance as % of GDP

2.1%

2.9%

3.5%

2.4%

2.2%

EU main partners

In the fourth quarter of 2024, based on non-seasonally adjusted data, the EU recorded current account surpluses with the United Kingdom (+€49.0 bn), Switzerland (+€28.3 bn), offshore financial centres (+€21.7 bn), the USA (+€20.6 bn), Canada (+€12.8 bn), Hong Kong (+€10.6 bn), Brazil (+€8.4 bn) and Japan (+€7.9 bn). Deficits were registered with China (-€49.4 bn), Russia (-€1.5 bn) and India (-€1.3 bn).

EU financial account

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

  • direct investment assets of the EU increased by €62.3 bn and

  • direct investment liabilities increased by €45.2 bn.

As a result, the EU was a net direct investor to the rest of the world with net outflows of €17.1 bn.

At the same time,

  • portfolio investment recorded a net outflow of €82.4 bn, while

  • other investment recorded a net inflow of €43.7 bn.

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

2023

2024

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Net financial account

55.0

147.9

147.1

206.5

90.0

Net acquisition of assets

-400.9

600.2

114.0

450.8

-9.3

Net incurrence of liabilities

-455.9

452.3

-33.1

244.3

-99.4

Net direct investment

-17.2

141.9

110.0

39.3

17.1

Net acquisition of assets

-365.0

167.3

-65.6

26.4

62.3

Net incurrence of liabilities

-347.8

25.4

-175.6

-12.9

45.2

Net portfolio investment

-68.6

-49.2

-111.4

-49.4

82.4

Net acquisition of assets

29.3

143.5

145.1

164.2

189.1

Net incurrence of liabilities

97.9

192.7

256.6

213.6

106.7

Net other investment

112.2

18.5

120.1

226.1

-43.7

Net acquisition of assets

-93.7

252.8

6.1

269.7

-295.0

Net incurrence of liabilities

-205.9

234.2

-114.1

43.6

-251.3

Net financial derivatives and employee stock options

18.6

12.7

18.7

-8.8

21.7

Reserve assets

9.9

24.0

9.6

-0.8

12.6

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, eighteen Member States recorded surpluses, eight recorded deficits and one Member State had its current account in balance in the fourth quarter of 2024. The highest surpluses were observed in Germany (+€50.4 bn), the Netherlands (+€38.9 bn), Ireland (+€18.2 bn), Denmark (+€15.2 bn), France (+€14.8 bn), Italy (+€9.9 bn) and Sweden (+€9.7 bn). The largest deficits were recorded for Romania (-€9.4 bn) and Greece (-€7.3 bn).

Tables

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

Partner

Period

Credit

Debit

Balance

Total

Q4 2023

1 384.8

1 279.5

105.4

Q4 2024

1 467.8

1 346.5

121.3

United Kingdom

Q4 2023

241.7

171.6

70.1

Q4 2024

232.0

182.9

49.0

USA

Q4 2023

304.2

295.8

8.4

Q4 2024

344.3

323.6

20.6

Switzerland

Q4 2023

115.2

86.6

28.6

Q4 2024

120.2

92.0

28.3

China*

Q4 2023

93.6

126.1

-32.5

Q4 2024

89.4

138.8

-49.4

Russia

Q4 2023

15.3

15.8

-0.5

Q4 2024

13.3

14.8

-1.5

Japan

Q4 2023

36.6

31.2

5.3

Q4 2024

40.1

32.1

7.9

Canada

Q4 2023

25.9

16.5

9.4

Q4 2024

29.5

16.7

12.8

Hong Kong

Q4 2023

19.9

11.4

8.5

Q4 2024

22.5

11.9

10.6

India

Q4 2023

23.1

22.6

0.5

Q4 2024

23.9

25.2

-1.3

Brazil

Q4 2023

24.6

15.7

8.9

Q4 2024

24.9

16.5

8.4

Offshore financial centres

Q4 2023

91.4

74.6

16.9

Q4 2024

104.8

83.1

21.7

Other countries

Q4 2023

413.2

422.9

-9.7

Q4 2024

445.5

420.7

24.8

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

Partner

Period

Credit

Debit

Balance

Total

Q4 2023

661.1

563.8

97.3

Q4 2024

672.0

573.6

98.4

United Kingdom

Q4 2023

91.8

45.8

46.0

Q4 2024

90.0

45.7

44.3

USA

Q4 2023

128.4

74.5

53.9

Q4 2024

140.2

70.8

69.3

Switzerland

Q4 2023

41.9

32.5

9.3

Q4 2024

39.6

34.0

5.6

China*

Q4 2023

68.0

109.1

-41.1

Q4 2024

58.7

121.9

-63.3

Russia

Q4 2023

9.2

10.7

-1.5

Q4 2024

8.1

9.3

-1.3

Japan

Q4 2023

17.0

15.4

1.6

Q4 2024

18.4

14.1

4.3

Canada

Q4 2023

11.7

5.9

5.9

Q4 2024

13.5

6.2

7.3

Hong Kong

Q4 2023

8.9

4.6

4.2

Q4 2024

8.8

4.7

4.1

India

Q4 2023

12.9

12.8

0.1

Q4 2024

12.5

14.4

-1.8

Brazil

Q4 2023

8.1

10.5

-2.3

Q4 2024

9.0

11.2

-2.2

Offshore financial centres

Q4 2023

25.5

15.0

10.6

Q4 2024

22.8

14.0

8.8

Other countries

Q4 2023

246.5

231.7

14.8

Q4 2024

259.3

231.9

27.3

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

Partner

Period

Credit

Debit

Balance

Total

Q4 2023

374.5

349.9

24.6

Q4 2024

403.9

369.7

34.2

United Kingdom

Q4 2023

70.5

60.7

9.8

Q4 2024

74.2

63.9

10.2

USA

Q4 2023

83.9

120.4

-36.5

Q4 2024

91.3

135.1

-43.8

Switzerland

Q4 2023

40.8

22.7

18.1

Q4 2024

43.0

25.4

17.5

China*

Q4 2023

16.2

12.7

3.5

Q4 2024

18.2

12.8

5.5

Russia

Q4 2023

3.0

1.3

1.7

Q4 2024

1.7

1.1

0.6

Japan

Q4 2023

10.3

5.4

4.9

Q4 2024

11.3

5.7

5.6

Canada

Q4 2023

6.7

5.1

1.6

Q4 2024

7.1

5.3

1.8

Hong Kong

Q4 2023

6.8

3.6

3.3

Q4 2024

9.1

4.0

5.1

India

Q4 2023

6.4

8.6

-2.2

Q4 2024

7.6

9.7

-2.1

Brazil

Q4 2023

5.8

2.6

3.2

Q4 2024

5.9

2.6

3.3

Offshore financial centres

Q4 2023

27.5

26.1

1.4

Q4 2024

28.5

28.7

-0.1

Other countries

Q4 2023

103.3

84.2

19.1

Q4 2024

114.9

79.2

35.7

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

Q4 2023

-365.0

-347.8

-17.2

Q4 2024

62.3

45.2

17.1

United Kingdom

Q4 2023

-50.5

-42.2

-8.3

Q4 2024

-21.7

-15.1

-6.6

USA

Q4 2023

-170.7

-252.0

81.3

Q4 2024

39.3

33.6

5.7

Switzerland

Q4 2023

-78.7

-41.3

-37.4

Q4 2024

27.6

26.5

1.1

China*

Q4 2023

-1.9

5.8

-7.6

Q4 2024

-5.3

2.9

-8.2

Russia

Q4 2023

-6.6

-1.3

-5.2

Q4 2024

-0.1

0.8

-0.9

Japan

Q4 2023

1.4

2.1

-0.7

Q4 2024

4.0

6.7

-2.8

Canada

Q4 2023

-19.8

-23.9

4.0

Q4 2024

-12.6

0.8

-13.4

Hong Kong

Q4 2023

-22.0

-43.5

21.5

Q4 2024

-3.3

-43.5

40.2

India

Q4 2023

1.1

0.6

0.5

Q4 2024

2.7

1.4

1.2

Brazil

Q4 2023

4.0

13.0

-9.0

Q4 2024

4.3

1.4

2.9

Offshore financial centres

Q4 2023

-11.3

-43.0

31.8

Q4 2024

11.0

-40.4

51.4

Other countries

Q4 2023

-32.0

34.4

-66.4

Q4 2024

13.1

26.5

-13.4

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

2023

2024

Countries

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Belgium

3.9

0.7

-2.6

-2.3

-1.1

Bulgaria

-0.3

-0.3

-0.7

0.9

-1.8

Czechia

0.3

4.5

-0.3

-0.1

1.4

Denmark

10.7

7.8

13.7

14.9

15.2

Germany

71.9

82.7

60.3

53.3

50.4

Estonia

0.2

-0.2

-0.2

-0.3

0.2

Ireland

-0.5

14.9

35.5

23.0

18.2

Greece

-7.3

-3.8

-4.5

0.3

-7.3

Spain

8.8

12.0

12.8

14.7

8.6

France

4.3

-6.5

-1.6

4.8

14.8

Croatia

-1.0

-3.0

-1.3

4.8

-1.6

Italy

5.2

0.3

6.2

8.3

9.9

Cyprus

-0.5

-0.9

-0.3

0.0

-1.2

Latvia

-0.1

-0.1

-0.4

-0.5

0.1

Lithuania

0.3

0.6

0.5

0.5

0.4

Luxembourg

2.9

1.9

0.6

5.7

3.7

Hungary

-1.3

2.7

1.7

0.4

-0.1

Malta

0.3

0.2

0.4

0.5

0.2

Netherlands

33.2

26.6

22.3

24.9

38.9

Austria

3.8

8.1

0.0

1.3

2.3

Poland

3.2

4.6

0.3

-3.9

0.7

Portugal

-0.9

1.7

0.8

3.6

0.0

Romania

-5.7

-4.2

-7.5

-8.5

-9.4

Slovenia

0.6

0.7

0.7

1.1

0.6

Slovakia

-0.8

-0.1

-0.8

-1.0

-1.7

Finland

1.3

-1.0

-1.6

2.0

1.4

Sweden

9.7

9.5

14.6

8.1

9.7

Iceland

-0.1

-0.2

-0.3

0.3

-0.6

Norway

19.9

21.1

19.5

17.7

17.9

Switzerland

14.4

9.9

17.6

5.7

10.4

Bosnia and Herzegovina

-0.2

-0.5

-0.3

-0.1

-0.2

Montenegro

-0.4

-0.4

-0.4

0.1

-0.5

North Macedonia

-0.1

-0.2

-0.1

0.3

-0.3

Albania

-0.2

-0.4

-0.2

0.4

-0.4

Serbia

-1.0

-0.5

-0.9

-2.0

-1.8

Türkiye

-3.9

-9.0

-4.2

8.6

-4.8

Kosovo*  

-0.4

-0.3

-0.4

0.2

-0.5

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

2023

2024

Countries

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Belgium

1.1

-1.5

-2.6

-4.1

-1.8

Bulgaria

1.8

1.5

1.9

2.8

1.6

Czechia

0.6

1.2

1.4

1.0

0.5

Denmark

-0.5

0.0

1.4

3.8

0.3

Germany

-12.1

-9.6

-19.5

-27.0

-17.9

Estonia

0.7

0.6

0.8

0.8

0.7

Ireland

-7.3

9.3

24.5

9.9

4.8

Greece

2.8

1.4

6.0

12.0

3.3

Spain

20.6

19.8

27.2

31.7

21.7

France

9.7

7.7

16.5

17.7

13.3

Croatia

1.8

0.9

3.4

9.0

1.7

Italy

-3.2

-5.4

0.6

2.9

-5.2

Cyprus

2.1

1.3

2.1

2.7

2.2

Latvia

0.5

0.4

0.6

0.6

0.7

Lithuania

1.8

2.0

2.3

2.3

2.1

Luxembourg

9.7

8.7

9.3

9.5

10.1

Hungary

2.3

2.1

2.4

3.2

2.4

Malta

1.5

1.5

1.8

1.9

1.7

Netherlands

10.5

7.6

11.7

7.8

11.0

Austria

1.2

5.1

-1.0

-0.5

2.2

Poland

9.7

10.0

10.4

10.3

9.5

Portugal

6.2

6.3

7.8

10.8

7.1

Romania

3.2

2.9

3.0

2.8

2.7

Slovenia

0.8

0.8

0.9

1.1

0.9

Slovakia

0.1

0.0

0.2

0.2

0.1

Finland

-2.4

-2.4

-1.3

-0.7

-0.8

Sweden

-2.5

-2.4

-1.1

-2.3

-1.7

Iceland

0.2

0.1

0.5

0.9

0.2

Norway

-1.9

-1.6

-1.8

-1.7

-1.6

Switzerland

-9.1

-6.3

-7.3

-8.6

-10.0

Bosnia and Herzegovina

0.6

0.4

0.5

0.7

0.6

Montenegro

0.2

0.1

0.4

0.9

0.2

North Macedonia

0.2

0.3

0.2

0.4

0.1

Albania

0.7

0.6

0.9

1.5

0.9

Serbia

0.9

0.7

0.8

0.3

1.0

Türkiye

11.4

7.6

14.1

22.3

13.1

Kosovo* 

0.2

0.3

0.3

1.0

0.3

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

Media requests

Eurostat Media Support

E-mail: eurostat-mediasupport@ec.europa.eu

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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