BRUSSELS, 3rd July, 2026 (WAM) — In the first quarter of 2026, the EU seasonally adjusted current account of the balance of payments recorded a surplus of €113.4 billion (+2.4% of GDP), compared with a surplus of €99.2 billion (+2.1% of GDP) in the fourth quarter of 2025 and a surplus of €104.9 billion (+2.3% of GDP) in the first quarter of 2025, according to estimates released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
In the first quarter of 2026 compared with the fourth quarter of 2025, based on seasonally adjusted data, the surplus of the goods account decreased (+€66.7 bn compared to +€89.0 bn), the surplus of the services account increased (+€52.1 bn compared to +€43.9 bn), the deficit of the primary income account turned into a surplus (+€25.3 bn compared to -€4.3 bn) and the deficit of the secondary income account increased (-€30.7 bn compared to -€29.4 bn).
In addition, during the same period, the deficit of the capital account increased (-€3.8 bn compared to -€3.2 bn).
In the first quarter of 2026, based on non-seasonally adjusted data, the EU recorded current account surpluses with the United Kingdom (+€72.8 bn), Switzerland (+€38.7 bn), Brazil (+€11.1 bn), Canada (+€10.1 bn), Hong Kong (+€6.9 bn), Russia (+€3.5 bn) and Japan (+€3.2 bn). Deficits were registered with China (-€66.3 bn), the USA (-€15.8 bn), offshore financial centres (-€1.5 bn) and India (-€1.1 bn).
Based on non-seasonally adjusted data, in the first quarter of 2026, direct investment assets of the EU increased by €27.1 bn and direct investment liabilities increased by €30.4 bn.
As a result, the EU was a net recipient of direct investment from the rest of the world with net inflows of €3.3 bn.
At the same time, portfolio investment recorded a net inflow of €128.8 bn, and other investment recorded a net outflow of €123.1 bn.
Source: Emirates News Agency