FIRST ESTIMATES FOR THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2004 EU25 CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT 5.3 BN EURO 10.3 BN EURO SURPLUS ON TRADE IN SERVICES
Bruxelles, Le 13 December 2004 - The Eu25 external current account1 recorded a deficit of 5.3 billion euro in the third quarter of 2004, as compared with a surplus of 6.4 billion euro in the third quarter of 2003 and a deficit of 3.0 billion euro in the second quarter of 2004. In the third quarter of 2004 the Eu25 external balance of trade in services recorded a surplus of 10.3 billion euro as compared with a surplus of 8.4 billion euro in the third quarter of 2003 and a surplus of 14.3 billion euro in the second quarter of 2004. This provisional data2, issued today by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, will be subject to revision. Balance of payments euro-indicators for Eu253 (in bn euro)
Q2/2003
Q3/2003
Q4/2003
Q1/2004
Q2/2004
Q3/2004
Eu25 current account balance
-5.2
6.4
2.1
-3.8
-3.0
-5.3
Eu25 balance of trade in services
11.7
8.4
6.4
6.8
14.3
10.3
Eu25 current account balance as % of Gdp
-0.2%
0.3%
0.1%
-0.2%
-0.1%
-0.2%
Source: Eurostat Balance of payments euro-indicators for the euro-zone4 (in bn euro)
Q2/2003
Q3/2003
Q4/2003
Q1/2004
Q2/2004
Q3/2004
Euro-zone current account balance
-6.6
11.5
15.9
13.6
8.7
5.8
Euro-zone balance of trade in services
7.3
4.4
5.0
0.1
8.8
4.8
Euro-zone current account balance as % of Gdp
-0.4%
0.6%
0.8%
0.7%
0.5%
0.3%
Source: European Central Bank (Ecb Monthly Bulletin December 2004) Balance of payments euro-indicators for the euro-zone4 (in bn euro)
Aug 03
Sep 03
Oct 03
Nov 03
Dec 03
Jan 04
Feb 04
Mar 04
Apr 04
May 04
Jun 04
Jul 04
Aug 04
Sep 04
Euro-zone current account balance
3.3
5.7
7.0
2.8
6.1
-2.7
5.4
11.0
0.2
2.4
6.0
2.8
3.3
-0.3
Euro-zone balance of trade in services
0.1
1.8
1.8
0.8
2.4
-1.0
0.4
0.7
1.5
3.8
3.5
1.8
1.4
1.7
Source: European Central Bank (Ecb Monthly Bulletin December 2004) Balance of payments euro-indicators for Eu153 (in bn euro)
