The EU27 external current account recorded a deficit of 32.8 billion euro in the first quarter of 2011, compared with a deficit of 27.7 bn in the first quarter of 2010 and a deficit of 18.2 bn in the fourth quarter of 2010.

In the first quarter of 2011, the EU27 external balance of trade in goods was in deficit by 41.8 bn euro, compared with a deficit of 32.6 bn in the first quarter of 2010 and a deficit of 29.3 bn in the fourth quarter of 2010. In the first quarter of 2011, the external balance of trade in services was in surplus by 19.2 bn euro, compared with a surplus of 11.5 bn in the first quarter of 2010 and a surplus of 20.8 bn in the fourth quarter of 2010.

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