In the EU27, money sent by migrants to their country of origin, usually referred to as workers' remittances, registered a constant increase until 2008, mainly due to extra-EU27 flows. This trend was interrupted in 2009 by the economic crisis, but 2010 brought a partial recovery, although figures remain below 2007 levels.

Total EU27 outflows amounted to 31.2 billion euro in 2010, compared with 30.4 bn in 2009 (+3%). These figures include both intra-EU27 and extra-EU27 flows. The increase in workers' remittances in 2010 compared with 2009 was higher for intra-EU27 flows (+6%) than for extra-EU27 flows (+1%). The share of extra-EU27 remittances in the total stood at 72% in 2010, the same level as in 2009.

The outflow of workers' remittances was highest in 2010 in Spain (7.2 bn euro or 23% of total EU27 remittances), Italy (6.6 bn or 21%), Germany (3.0 bn or 10%), France (2.9 bn or 9%), the Netherlands (1.5 bn or 5%) and Greece (1.1 bn or 3%). Among these Member States, the share of extra-EU27 remittances in the total ranged between 67% in Germany and 91% in Greece. In 2010, the majority of Member States recorded similar levels of outflows of workers' remittances to 2009.