External balance on goods and services in European Union
European Union: External balance on goods and services was 3.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services in European Union, 1970–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, external balance on goods and services in European Union stood at 3.8%.
The figure is down 11.0% on the previous year and down 13.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in European Union peaked at 4.4% in 2016 and was at its lowest, -2.8%, in 1980.
European Union ranks 7th of 44 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services in European Union, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | -0.5% | — |
| 1971 | -0.2% | -61.4% |
| 1972 | 0.1% | -132.8% |
| 1973 | -0.3% | -488.3% |
| 1974 | -1.4% | +414.9% |
| 1975 | -0.6% | -58.0% |
| 1976 | -1.5% | +164.9% |
| 1977 | -1.1% | -30.2% |
| 1978 | -0.2% | -83.9% |
| 1979 | -1.2% | +577.9% |
| 1980 | -2.8% | +139.2% |
| 1981 | -2.1% | -25.6% |
| 1982 | -1.8% | -12.9% |
| 1983 | -0.9% | -51.7% |
| 1984 | -0.3% | -60.6% |
| 1985 | -0.4% | +4.2% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | -258.6% |
| 1987 | 0.0% | -99.8% |
| 1988 | -0.1% | -7125.0% |
| 1989 | -0.5% | +371.9% |
| 1990 | -0.3% | -29.3% |
| 1991 | -0.2% | -41.1% |
| 1992 | 0.0% | -116.2% |
| 1993 | 1.3% | +4092.2% |
| 1994 | 1.5% | +11.2% |
| 1995 | 1.7% | +18.9% |
| 1996 | 1.9% | +9.4% |
| 1997 | 2.2% | +15.8% |
| 1998 | 1.9% | -14.8% |
| 1999 | 1.4% | -24.9% |
| 2000 | 0.9% | -36.5% |
| 2001 | 1.6% | +74.4% |
| 2002 | 2.4% | +54.1% |
| 2003 | 2.0% | -18.5% |
| 2004 | 2.1% | +8.6% |
| 2005 | 1.6% | -23.1% |
| 2006 | 1.3% | -23.0% |
| 2007 | 1.3% | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 0.9% | -28.5% |
| 2009 | 1.7% | +86.5% |
| 2010 | 1.6% | -5.3% |
| 2011 | 1.7% | +6.7% |
| 2012 | 2.9% | +66.2% |
| 2013 | 3.5% | +22.5% |
| 2014 | 3.8% | +6.8% |
| 2015 | 4.4% | +15.7% |
| 2016 | 4.4% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 4.2% | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 3.7% | -11.6% |
| 2019 | 3.5% | -7.5% |
| 2020 | 3.6% | +4.5% |
| 2021 | 3.8% | +5.1% |
| 2022 | 1.9% | -51.0% |
| 2023 | 3.6% | +95.5% |
| 2024 | 4.3% | +16.7% |
| 2025 | 3.8% | -11.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services in European Union changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | -7125.0% | 0.0% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | +4092.2% | 0.0% | 1.3% |
| 1979 | -577.9% | -0.2% | -1.2% |
| 1973 | -488.3% | 0.1% | -0.3% |
| 1974 | -414.9% | -0.3% | -1.4% |
| 1989 | -371.9% | -0.1% | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -0.7% | -1.5% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.8% | -2.8% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.1% | -0.3% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.6% | 0.9% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.4% | 1.6% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.5% | 1.9% | 4.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
- 4 Singapore 35.4% compare
- 5 Luxembourg 31.2% compare
- 6 San Marino 31.0% compare
- 7 Bermuda 30.1% compare
- 8 Gabon 26.1% compare
- 9 Brunei Darussalam 19.5% compare
- 10 Malta 19.2% compare
More economy & growth data for European Union
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), per capita 45,294 current US$ per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4961 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 7.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 33,955 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.7211 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 2.12 % change on previous year (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 26,328 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 1.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.5591 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current US$), per capita 23,360 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in European Union?
- External balance on goods and services in European Union was 3.8% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 4.4% in 2016.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.8% in 1980.
- How does European Union rank for external balance on goods and services?
- European Union ranks 7th out of 44 groups with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this European Union data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of External balance on goods and services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The balance of international trade in goods and services is the difference between the exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.