Euro area quarterly balance of payments and international investment position: fourth quarter of 2023

Current account surplus at €240 billion (1.7% of euro area GDP) in 2023, after a €79 billion deficit (0.6% of GDP) a year earlier.

Geographical counterparts: largest bilateral current account surpluses vis-à-vis United Kingdom (€187 billion) and Switzerland (€66 billion) and largest deficits vis-à-vis China (€120 billion) and EU Member States and EU institutions outside the euro area (€34 billion).

International investment position showed net assets of €585 billion (4.1% of euro area GDP) at end of 2023.

Special purpose entities represented 11.5% of euro area financial assets and 11.2% of liabilities at end of 2023.