Foreign direct investment, net outflows in European Union
European Union: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 1.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in European Union, 1971–2025
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 % of GDP.
Analysis
European Union recorded 1.2% for foreign direct investment, net outflows in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 49.0% on the previous year and down 83.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in European Union peaked at 11.1% in 2007 and was at its lowest, -1.2%, in 2023.
European Union ranks 11th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in European Union, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 0.5% | — |
| 1972 | 0.5% | +6.3% |
| 1973 | 0.5% | -4.8% |
| 1974 | 0.5% | +1.0% |
| 1975 | 0.5% | -9.5% |
| 1976 | 0.5% | +4.6% |
| 1977 | 0.5% | -5.2% |
| 1978 | 0.5% | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 0.6% | +26.5% |
| 1980 | 0.5% | -15.6% |
| 1981 | 0.6% | +18.2% |
| 1982 | 0.5% | -24.0% |
| 1983 | 0.5% | +14.1% |
| 1984 | 0.7% | +30.8% |
| 1985 | 0.6% | -10.0% |
| 1986 | 0.8% | +36.5% |
| 1987 | 0.9% | +4.0% |
| 1988 | 1.1% | +29.9% |
| 1989 | 1.5% | +34.0% |
| 1990 | 1.7% | +16.9% |
| 1991 | 1.4% | -22.8% |
| 1992 | 1.2% | -13.5% |
| 1993 | 1.0% | -10.6% |
| 1994 | 1.2% | +17.3% |
| 1995 | 1.4% | +16.4% |
| 1996 | 1.8% | +26.6% |
| 1997 | 2.1% | +16.9% |
| 1998 | 3.8% | +79.2% |
| 1999 | 7.0% | +85.5% |
| 2000 | 8.5% | +21.0% |
| 2001 | 5.6% | -34.6% |
| 2002 | 2.6% | -52.9% |
| 2003 | 2.7% | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 3.6% | +34.1% |
| 2005 | 7.5% | +109.7% |
| 2006 | 9.3% | +23.4% |
| 2007 | 11.1% | +19.2% |
| 2008 | 7.2% | -34.6% |
| 2009 | 5.0% | -31.0% |
| 2010 | 4.2% | -15.5% |
| 2011 | 5.9% | +40.6% |
| 2012 | 4.5% | -24.7% |
| 2013 | 4.8% | +7.3% |
| 2014 | 4.0% | -15.8% |
| 2015 | 7.0% | +73.6% |
| 2016 | 6.3% | -10.7% |
| 2017 | 4.3% | -30.7% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | -47.7% |
| 2019 | 3.5% | +56.4% |
| 2020 | 1.0% | -72.0% |
| 2021 | 6.2% | +528.8% |
| 2022 | 3.3% | -46.9% |
| 2023 | -1.2% | -137.5% |
| 2024 | 2.3% | -285.5% |
| 2025 | 1.2% | -49.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.6% | 9 |
| 1980s | 0.8% | 0.5% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.3% | 1.0% | 7.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.3% | 2.6% | 11.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.7% | 2.3% | 7.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.1% | -1.2% | 6.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
More economy & growth data for European Union
- Exports of goods and services (current US$), per capita 23,360 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 9.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 18,514 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.3932 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 164.14 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 2.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 9.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 33,955 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 7.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0035 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in European Union?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in European Union was 1.2% 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 outflows recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 11.1% in 2007.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.2% in 2023.
- How does European Union rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- European Union ranks 11th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is down 83.2%. 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 outflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in an 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. This series shows net outflows of investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world, and is divided by GDP.