The EU27 external current account recorded a deficit of €23.4bn in the first quarter of 2010, compared with a deficit of €50.6bn in the first quarter of 2009 and a deficit of €9.2bn in the fourth quarter of 2009.

In the first quarter of 2010, the EU27 external balance of trade in services recorded a surplus of €13.2bn, compared with a surplus of €13.3bn in the first quarter of 2009 and a surplus of €19.1bn in the fourth quarter of 2009.

These provisional data, issued by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, will be subject to revision.