Overview
In the first quarter of 2024, the EU seasonally adjusted current account of the balance of payments recorded a surplus of €134.3 billion (+3.1% of GDP), compared with a surplus of €89.8 billion (+2.1% of GDP) in the fourth quarter of 2023 and a surplus of €55.2 billion (+1.3% of GDP) in the first quarter of 2023, according to estimates released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
EU current and capital accounts
In the first quarter of 2024 compared with the fourth quarter of 2023, based on seasonally adjusted data
-
the surplus of the goods account increased (+€113.5 bn compared to +€66.5 bn),
-
the surplus of the services account decreased (+€38.4 bn compared to +€43.8 bn),
-
the surplus of the primary income account increased (+€5.5 bn compared to +€2.3 bn) and
-
the deficit of the secondary income account increased (-€23.0 bn compared to -€22.8 bn).
In addition, during the same period, the deficit of the capital account decreased (-€4.3 bn compared to -€11.4 bn).
|
EU current and capital accounts |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Current account |
Goods |
Services |
Primary income |
Secondary income |
Current account as |
Capital account |
||
|
1321.2 |
674.0 |
333.1 |
276.1 |
38.0 |
31.7% |
19.9 |
||
|
1265.9 |
636.9 |
293.5 |
273.8 |
61.7 |
30.3% |
31.7 |
||
|
55.2 |
37.1 |
39.6 |
2.2 |
-23.7 |
1.3% |
-11.8 |
||
|
1322.7 |
654.6 |
332.5 |
294.4 |
41.1 |
31.3% |
13.9 |
||
|
1245.5 |
604.3 |
291.4 |
286.8 |
63.0 |
29.5% |
21.8 |
||
|
77.2 |
50.3 |
41.2 |
7.6 |
-21.9 |
1.8% |
-8.0 |
||
|
1327.5 |
650.3 |
333.1 |
304.5 |
39.6 |
31.2% |
17.8 |
||
|
1227.8 |
573.4 |
294.8 |
297.0 |
62.5 |
28.9% |
18.8 |
||
|
99.7 |
76.9 |
38.3 |
7.4 |
-22.9 |
2.3% |
-1.0 |
||
|
1314.2 |
642.4 |
341.7 |
290.1 |
40.0 |
30.5% |
30.4 |
||
|
1224.4 |
576.0 |
297.9 |
287.8 |
62.8 |
28.4% |
41.8 |
||
|
89.8 |
66.5 |
43.8 |
2.3 |
-22.8 |
2.1% |
-11.4 |
||
|
1387.2 |
691.2 |
350.7 |
306.8 |
38.4 |
31.9% |
14.1 |
||
|
1252.9 |
577.8 |
312.4 |
301.4 |
61.5 |
28.8% |
18.5 |
||
|
134.3 |
113.5 |
38.4 |
5.5 |
-23.0 |
3.1% |
-4.3 |
||
|
Euro area current account |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Q1 2023 |
Q2 2023 |
Q3 2023 |
Q4 2023 |
Q1 2024 |
|
|
31.8 |
58.7 |
61.2 |
72.2 |
112.2 |
|
|
43.6 |
59.9 |
78.8 |
67.1 |
103.7 |
|
|
23.5 |
31.6 |
33.1 |
31.4 |
31.7 |
|
|
2.8 |
11.4 |
-4.8 |
17.9 |
10.5 |
|
|
-38.1 |
-44.2 |
-45.9 |
-44.1 |
-33.7 |
|
|
0.9% |
1.6% |
1.7% |
2.0% |
3.0% |
|
EU main partners
In the first quarter of 2024, based on non-seasonally adjusted data, the EU recorded current account surpluses with the United Kingdom (+€65.7 bn), Switzerland (+€25.6 bn), the USA (+€18.0 bn), Canada (+€9.6 bn), Hong Kong (+€8.9 bn), offshore financial centres (+€8.6 bn), Brazil (+€8.0 bn), Japan (+€2.2 bn) and Russia (+€1.4 bn). Deficits were registered with China (-€29.7 bn) and India (-€1.0 bn).
EU financial account
Based on non-seasonally adjusted data, in the first quarter of 2024
As a result, the EU was a net direct investor to the rest of the world with net outflows of €83.2 bn.
At the same time,
-
portfolio investment recorded a net inflow of €48.7 bn, while
-
other investment recorded a net outflow of €34.4 bn.
|
EU financial account |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Q1 2023 |
Q2 2023 |
Q3 2023 |
Q4 2023 |
Q1 2024 |
|
|
109.8 |
93.9 |
70.3 |
53.4 |
102.9 |
|
|
465.1 |
55.7 |
126.0 |
-398.2 |
554.1 |
|
|
355.2 |
-38.2 |
55.7 |
-451.6 |
451.2 |
|
|
89.0 |
7.1 |
-21.5 |
-9.1 |
83.2 |
|
|
80.3 |
-88.4 |
-3.7 |
-365.0 |
118.2 |
|
|
-8.7 |
-95.5 |
17.8 |
-355.8 |
35.0 |
|
|
-144.1 |
40.9 |
-14.1 |
-65.7 |
-48.7 |
|
|
42.8 |
186.9 |
83.8 |
24.3 |
147.5 |
|
|
186.9 |
146.0 |
97.9 |
90.0 |
196.2 |
|
|
161.0 |
16.4 |
106.8 |
98.0 |
34.4 |
|
|
338.0 |
-72.3 |
46.9 |
-87.7 |
254.4 |
|
|
177.1 |
-88.8 |
-60.0 |
-185.8 |
220.0 |
|
|
16.8 |
-1.8 |
3.8 |
20.3 |
9.8 |
|
|
-12.8 |
31.3 |
-4.8 |
9.9 |
24.1 |
|
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, seven recorded deficits and one Member State had its current account in balance in the first quarter of 2024 (data for France not available). The highest surpluses were observed in Germany (+€83.6 bn), the Netherlands (+€28.3 bn), Ireland (+€22.6 bn), Spain (+€12.0 bn), Sweden (+€10.3 bn), Austria (+€9.0 bn) and Denmark (+€7.2 bn). The largest deficits were recorded for Greece (‑€4.1 bn), Romania (-€4.0 bn) and Croatia (-€2.7 bn).
Tables
|
EU current account, breakdown by main partner countries |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Partner |
Period |
Credit |
Debit |
Balance |
|
Q1 2023 |
1275.7 |
1239.7 |
35.9 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
1309.8 |
1191.6 |
118.2 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
218.1 |
159.2 |
58.8 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
225.6 |
159.9 |
65.7 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
269.8 |
262.8 |
7.0 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
289.6 |
271.5 |
18.0 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
110.4 |
90.0 |
20.4 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
113.4 |
87.8 |
25.6 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
84.5 |
130.1 |
-45.6 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
86.4 |
116.1 |
-29.7 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
18.8 |
20.9 |
-2.2 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
14.7 |
13.3 |
1.4 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
34.5 |
32.7 |
1.8 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
34.3 |
32.2 |
2.2 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
22.2 |
14.9 |
7.3 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
24.7 |
15.2 |
9.6 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
17.6 |
10.5 |
7.1 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
19.9 |
11.1 |
8.9 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
20.1 |
23.0 |
-2.9 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
21.6 |
22.6 |
-1.0 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
22.4 |
14.7 |
7.7 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
22.2 |
14.2 |
8.0 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
79.2 |
78.1 |
1.1 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
83.1 |
74.4 |
8.6 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
395.9 |
413.4 |
-17.5 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
394.3 |
384.4 |
9.8 |
|
|
EU goods account, breakdown by main partner countries |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Partner |
Period |
Credit |
Debit |
Balance |
|
Q1 2023 |
667.7 |
629.1 |
38.7 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
649.8 |
547.9 |
101.9 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
92.9 |
52.9 |
40.0 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
93.8 |
45.8 |
48.0 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
128.1 |
75.5 |
52.6 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
132.7 |
73.9 |
58.8 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
44.9 |
37.2 |
7.7 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
41.3 |
33.3 |
8.0 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
62.6 |
116.9 |
-54.2 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
62.4 |
102.5 |
-40.2 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
11.9 |
17.3 |
-5.4 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
8.7 |
8.8 |
-0.1 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
18.5 |
17.3 |
1.2 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
17.5 |
15.5 |
2.0 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
10.8 |
6.0 |
4.8 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
12.0 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
8.2 |
4.0 |
4.2 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
8.6 |
4.1 |
4.6 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
12.3 |
14.9 |
-2.6 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
12.5 |
13.4 |
-0.8 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
8.2 |
10.3 |
-2.1 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
8.0 |
9.3 |
-1.3 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
27.0 |
15.1 |
11.8 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
20.5 |
13.8 |
6.7 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
250.5 |
265.6 |
-15.1 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
240.5 |
225.7 |
14.8 |
|
|
EU services account, breakdown by main partner countries |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Partner |
Period |
Credit |
Debit |
Balance |
|
Q1 2023 |
318.8 |
297.8 |
21.0 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
340.2 |
315.1 |
25.1 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
62.3 |
53.0 |
9.3 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
65.7 |
57.8 |
7.9 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
68.5 |
96.6 |
-28.1 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
70.9 |
107.0 |
-36.2 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
34.6 |
23.0 |
11.6 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
37.8 |
23.1 |
14.7 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
13.1 |
10.0 |
3.2 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
15.3 |
10.0 |
5.3 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
3.2 |
1.3 |
1.9 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
2.3 |
1.0 |
1.3 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
9.7 |
4.9 |
4.7 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
9.3 |
4.7 |
4.6 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
5.4 |
4.3 |
1.1 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
5.9 |
4.4 |
1.5 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
5.7 |
3.6 |
2.0 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
7.6 |
3.4 |
4.2 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
5.3 |
7.1 |
-1.7 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
6.3 |
8.1 |
-1.8 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
5.3 |
2.4 |
2.9 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
5.9 |
2.3 |
3.6 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
22.2 |
30.2 |
-8.0 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
26.5 |
28.3 |
-1.8 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
89.3 |
65.1 |
24.2 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
94.4 |
68.3 |
26.0 |
|
|
EU direct investment, breakdown by main partner countries |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Partner |
Period |
Net acquisition of |
Net incurrence of |
Net |
|
Q1 2023 |
80.3 |
-8.7 |
89.0 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
118.2 |
35.0 |
83.2 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
38.0 |
20.8 |
17.1 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
28.1 |
33.3 |
-5.3 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
9.2 |
-2.3 |
11.5 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
28.1 |
5.6 |
22.5 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
-4.9 |
26.7 |
-31.6 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
12.5 |
18.4 |
-5.9 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
6.1 |
3.0 |
3.1 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
6.1 |
0.5 |
5.6 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
-4.7 |
-14.4 |
9.7 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
-1.6 |
1.0 |
-2.5 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
-0.4 |
1.4 |
-1.8 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
2.1 |
-1.1 |
3.2 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
3.4 |
2.7 |
0.7 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
0.7 |
-8.2 |
8.8 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
0.2 |
-0.6 |
0.8 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
19.0 |
0.5 |
18.5 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
11.5 |
0.7 |
10.8 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
2.1 |
0.0 |
2.1 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
8.4 |
-1.1 |
9.5 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
6.7 |
1.7 |
5.0 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
-28.6 |
-31.0 |
2.4 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
23.6 |
-9.7 |
33.3 |
|
|
Q1 2023 |
42.3 |
-15.3 |
57.6 |
|
|
Q1 2024 |
9.7 |
-6.7 |
16.5 |
|
|
Current accounts balances – national data (intra-EU + extra-EU) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Countries |
Q1 2023 |
Q2 2023 |
Q3 2023 |
Q4 2023 |
Q1 2024 |
|
0.2 |
-5.0 |
-3.1 |
2.2 |
3.1 |
|
|
-0.4 |
0.6 |
0.4 |
-0.8 |
0.3 |
|
|
1.5 |
-0.8 |
0.0 |
0.5 |
4.2 |
|
|
6.7 |
11.2 |
8.4 |
10.7 |
7.2 |
|
|
68.6 |
49.6 |
68.3 |
71.1 |
83.6 |
|
|
0.0 |
-0.3 |
-0.4 |
0.2 |
-0.1 |
|
|
13.6 |
15.8 |
20.8 |
-0.4 |
22.6 |
|
|
-3.9 |
-4.2 |
1.0 |
-6.8 |
-4.1 |
|
|
10.5 |
8.6 |
10.5 |
8.2 |
12.0 |
|
|
: |
: |
: |
: |
: |
|
|
-2.6 |
-0.7 |
5.2 |
-1.1 |
-2.7 |
|
|
-8.5 |
-0.4 |
11.0 |
9.2 |
4.4 |
|
|
-1.9 |
-0.3 |
-0.5 |
-0.9 |
-0.9 |
|
|
-0.5 |
-0.4 |
-0.6 |
-0.2 |
-0.2 |
|
|
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.8 |
0.9 |
|
|
0.4 |
1.7 |
1.8 |
1.5 |
1.7 |
|
|
0.0 |
1.0 |
0.4 |
-0.9 |
2.1 |
|
|
-0.1 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
|
|
25.5 |
24.2 |
22.3 |
33.2 |
28.3 |
|
|
7.3 |
-1.2 |
2.0 |
4.7 |
9.0 |
|
|
4.7 |
1.5 |
1.8 |
3.6 |
4.7 |
|
|
0.0 |
0.6 |
3.4 |
-0.3 |
1.5 |
|
|
-4.0 |
-5.1 |
-6.6 |
-6.9 |
-4.0 |
|
|
0.5 |
1.1 |
0.6 |
0.6 |
0.7 |
|
|
-0.6 |
0.3 |
-0.4 |
-1.2 |
0.1 |
|
|
-0.2 |
-4.1 |
0.3 |
0.9 |
-1.1 |
|
|
9.3 |
8.0 |
8.7 |
8.9 |
10.3 |
|
|
-0.1 |
0.0 |
0.5 |
-0.2 |
-0.3 |
|
|
27.4 |
14.6 |
16.9 |
19.5 |
21.8 |
|
|
11.3 |
16.6 |
18.6 |
14.4 |
17.0 |
|
|
-0.2 |
-0.2 |
-0.1 |
-0.2 |
-0.5 |
|
|
-0.3 |
-0.3 |
0.2 |
-0.4 |
-0.4 |
|
|
0.1 |
-0.1 |
0.2 |
-0.1 |
-0.2 |
|
|
-0.1 |
-0.2 |
0.4 |
-0.2 |
-0.4 |
|
|
-0.2 |
-0.4 |
-0.2 |
-1.0 |
-0.4 |
|
|
-22.9 |
-11.1 |
-2.5 |
-5.3 |
-10.0 |
|
|
-0.2 |
-0.3 |
0.2 |
-0.4 |
-0.3 |
|
|
Services accounts balances – national data (intra-EU + extra-EU) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Countries |
Q1 2023 |
Q2 2023 |
Q3 2023 |
Q4 2023 |
Q1 2024 |
|
-0.9 |
-1.4 |
-3.6 |
-0.3 |
-1.4 |
|
|
1.2 |
1.5 |
2.6 |
1.4 |
1.4 |
|
|
1.1 |
1.1 |
1.1 |
0.7 |
1.1 |
|
|
1.5 |
1.0 |
0.7 |
-0.5 |
-0.3 |
|
|
-10.0 |
-17.6 |
-23.4 |
-12.0 |
-12.5 |
|
|
0.6 |
0.8 |
0.6 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
|
|
-0.8 |
7.4 |
8.6 |
-7.7 |
7.8 |
|
|
1.1 |
5.6 |
12.4 |
2.8 |
1.3 |
|
|
16.9 |
24.8 |
30.0 |
21.2 |
20.4 |
|
|
: |
: |
: |
: |
: |
|
|
1.1 |
3.5 |
9.4 |
1.8 |
0.9 |
|
|
-5.8 |
-1.2 |
3.2 |
-3.6 |
-5.2 |
|
|
1.2 |
1.9 |
2.1 |
1.6 |
1.4 |
|
|
0.4 |
0.6 |
0.7 |
0.5 |
0.4 |
|
|
1.7 |
2.1 |
2.1 |
1.8 |
2.1 |
|
|
6.3 |
7.2 |
6.6 |
7.2 |
7.4 |
|
|
2.0 |
2.4 |
3.0 |
2.4 |
2.1 |
|
|
1.2 |
1.5 |
1.7 |
1.3 |
1.2 |
|
|
5.9 |
10.7 |
7.0 |
10.5 |
7.8 |
|
|
5.0 |
-0.3 |
0.8 |
2.2 |
5.8 |
|
|
9.4 |
10.4 |
10.1 |
9.7 |
9.3 |
|
|
5.2 |
7.1 |
9.8 |
5.9 |
6.1 |
|
|
3.8 |
3.4 |
3.1 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
|
|
0.8 |
1.0 |
1.0 |
1.0 |
0.8 |
|
|
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
|
|
-2.2 |
-2.8 |
-2.2 |
-2.8 |
-2.0 |
|
|
-2.5 |
-1.8 |
-0.7 |
-2.6 |
-1.2 |
|
|
0.2 |
0.6 |
1.0 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
|
|
-1.6 |
-2.5 |
-2.0 |
-2.3 |
-1.2 |
|
|
-2.9 |
-6.2 |
-5.8 |
-9.1 |
-3.9 |
|
|
0.4 |
0.5 |
0.6 |
0.5 |
0.4 |
|
|
0.1 |
0.4 |
1.0 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
|
|
0.3 |
0.0 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
|
|
0.6 |
0.8 |
1.3 |
0.8 |
0.6 |
|
|
0.8 |
0.8 |
0.6 |
0.9 |
0.7 |
|
|
7.0 |
11.5 |
19.8 |
10.3 |
6.6 |
|
|
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.9 |
0.2 |
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 2024 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
https%3A%2F%2Fec.europa.eu%2Feurostat%2Fproduct%3Fcode%3D2-04072024-bp
