Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in European Union
European Union: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) was 261.97 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in European Union, 1970–2025
Source: Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D. Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows in European Union stood at 261.97 billion BoP, current US$.
The figure is up 33.5% on the previous year and down 69.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in European Union peaked at 1.48 trillion BoP, current US$ in 2007 and was at its lowest, -234.53 billion BoP, current US$, in 2023.
That places European Union 16th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in European Union, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.90 billion BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 4.10 billion BoP, current US$ | +41.5% |
| 1972 | 5.25 billion BoP, current US$ | +27.9% |
| 1973 | 6.85 billion BoP, current US$ | +30.5% |
| 1974 | 8.01 billion BoP, current US$ | +17.0% |
| 1975 | 6.59 billion BoP, current US$ | -17.7% |
| 1976 | 4.90 billion BoP, current US$ | -25.8% |
| 1977 | 7.41 billion BoP, current US$ | +51.4% |
| 1978 | 9.56 billion BoP, current US$ | +29.0% |
| 1979 | 10.67 billion BoP, current US$ | +11.7% |
| 1980 | 10.85 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 9.81 billion BoP, current US$ | -9.6% |
| 1982 | 8.78 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.5% |
| 1983 | 9.64 billion BoP, current US$ | +9.8% |
| 1984 | 9.62 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 10.48 billion BoP, current US$ | +9.0% |
| 1986 | 14.48 billion BoP, current US$ | +38.2% |
| 1987 | 23.85 billion BoP, current US$ | +64.7% |
| 1988 | 36.14 billion BoP, current US$ | +51.5% |
| 1989 | 48.46 billion BoP, current US$ | +34.1% |
| 1990 | 64.51 billion BoP, current US$ | +33.1% |
| 1991 | 64.77 billion BoP, current US$ | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 63.65 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 69.61 billion BoP, current US$ | +9.4% |
| 1994 | 72.28 billion BoP, current US$ | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 110.53 billion BoP, current US$ | +52.9% |
| 1996 | 109.98 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 116.73 billion BoP, current US$ | +6.1% |
| 1998 | 220.14 billion BoP, current US$ | +88.6% |
| 1999 | 452.76 billion BoP, current US$ | +105.7% |
| 2000 | 634.20 billion BoP, current US$ | +40.1% |
| 2001 | 366.36 billion BoP, current US$ | -42.2% |
| 2002 | 295.30 billion BoP, current US$ | -19.4% |
| 2003 | 293.77 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 314.21 billion BoP, current US$ | +7.0% |
| 2005 | 732.55 billion BoP, current US$ | +133.1% |
| 2006 | 914.39 billion BoP, current US$ | +24.8% |
| 2007 | 1.48 trillion BoP, current US$ | +61.8% |
| 2008 | 825.46 billion BoP, current US$ | -44.2% |
| 2009 | 585.52 billion BoP, current US$ | -29.1% |
| 2010 | 481.84 billion BoP, current US$ | -17.7% |
| 2011 | 905.18 billion BoP, current US$ | +87.9% |
| 2012 | 588.14 billion BoP, current US$ | -35.0% |
| 2013 | 613.50 billion BoP, current US$ | +4.3% |
| 2014 | 468.49 billion BoP, current US$ | -23.6% |
| 2015 | 849.86 billion BoP, current US$ | +81.4% |
| 2016 | 729.75 billion BoP, current US$ | -14.1% |
| 2017 | 592.02 billion BoP, current US$ | -18.9% |
| 2018 | 80.63 billion BoP, current US$ | -86.4% |
| 2019 | 582.80 billion BoP, current US$ | +622.8% |
| 2020 | 180.52 billion BoP, current US$ | -69.0% |
| 2021 | 673.87 billion BoP, current US$ | +273.3% |
| 2022 | 242.73 billion BoP, current US$ | -64.0% |
| 2023 | -234.53 billion BoP, current US$ | -196.6% |
| 2024 | 196.22 billion BoP, current US$ | -183.7% |
| 2025 | 261.97 billion BoP, current US$ | +33.5% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in European Union changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +622.8% | 80.63 billion BoP, current US$ | 582.80 billion BoP, current US$ |
| 2021 | +273.3% | 180.52 billion BoP, current US$ | 673.87 billion BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.62 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.90 billion BoP, current US$ | 10.67 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.21 billion BoP, current US$ | 8.78 billion BoP, current US$ | 48.46 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 134.50 billion BoP, current US$ | 63.65 billion BoP, current US$ | 452.76 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 644.13 billion BoP, current US$ | 293.77 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.48 trillion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 589.22 billion BoP, current US$ | 80.63 billion BoP, current US$ | 905.18 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 220.13 billion BoP, current US$ | -234.53 billion BoP, current US$ | 673.87 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
- 13 British Virgin Islands 42.91 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 14 India 40.79 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 15 United Kingdom 37.59 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 16 Australia 37.44 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 17 Cayman Islands 35.78 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 18 Saudi Arabia 32.63 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 19 Spain 28.61 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for European Union
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 2.12 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current US$), per capita 23,360 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 (current US$), annual growth rate 9.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.5591 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 26,328 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 2.34 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in European Union?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in European Union was 261.97 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 1.48 trillion BoP, current US$ in 2007.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was -234.53 billion BoP, current US$ in 2023.
- How does European Union rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- European Union ranks 16th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is down 69.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this European Union data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in the reporting economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. Direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. Data are in current U.S. dollars.