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EU''s external account deficit 37 bn euro

BRUSSELS, Oct 20 (KUNA) -- The international trade deficit of the 27-member European Union was 37.1 billion euro in the second quarter of 2010, compared with a deficit of 42.1 bn euro in the second quarter of 2009 and a deficit of 31.8 bn euro in the first quarter of 2010.
In the second quarter of 2010, compared with the second quarter of 2009, the deficits of the goods account (-29.9 bn euro compared with -14.9 bn) and the current transfers account (-14.2 bn compared with -11.9 bn) both increased, according to figures released today by Eurostat, the EU's statistics office. In the second quarter of 2010, the EU external current account recorded a surplus with the USA (+19.4 bn euro), Switzerland (+9.6 bn), Hong Kong (+5.7 bn), Brazil (+5.2 bn), Canada and India (both +1.8 bn), and a deficit with China (-31.5 bn), Russia (-13.0 bn) and Japan (-8.6 bn). In the second quarter of 2010, the EU made direct investments abroad of 50.1 bn euro, compared with 75.0 bn euro in the same quarter of 2009, while foreign direct investors recorded Disinvestments in the EU of 12.0 bn, compared with investments of 81.4 bn in the same quarter of 2009. (end) nk.mt KUNA 201334 Oct 10NNNN