The breakdown shows that the deficit on trade in goods shrank by EUR977 million to EUR7.3 billion, while the surplus on services fell by EUR334 million to EUR3.3 billion.
In terms of services, the IT&C sector saw the highest surplus, of EUR1.9 billion in January-March 2026, close to the EUR1.8 billion level recorded in January-March 2025, followed by the transport sector with a slightly higher surplus of EUR1.5 billion. The deficit in the tourism-travel sector widened to EUR1.1 million in January-March 2026.
The primary income balance, which includes compensation of employees, investment income (direct investment, portfolio investment, other investment) and other primary income (taxes, subsidies), recorded a deficit of EUR1.6 billion in January-March 2026, EUR305 million more than in the year-ago period.
The secondary income balance, which includes current private transfers and transfers of the general government, recorded a surplus of EUR324 million in January-March 2026, compared to a deficit of EUR153 million recorded in January-March 2025.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) stood at EUR1.13 billion in January-March 2026, compared with EUR1.63 billion in January-March 2025. Of the overall FDI, equity stakes (including estimated net reinvestment of earnings) amounted to EUR1.46 billion, while intra-group lending reached a net negative value of EUR331 million, central bank data also show.
Romania’s total external debt (public and private) stood at EUR231.5 billion in January-March 2026, higher by EUR3.06 billion than at the end of 2025, central bank data also show on May 18. In March 2026, the total external debt increased by EUR1.5 billion compared to February 2026.
Long-term external debt stood at EUR182.8 billion on March 31, 28, 2026, up 1.4% compared with December 31, 2025. Short-term external debt grew by 1.1% to EUR48.6 billion.
Long-term external debt service ratio stood at 11.8% in January-March 2026 compared with 18.4% in 2025. On March 31, 2026, goods and services import cover stood at 6.4 months, compared with 6 months on December 31, 2025.
On March 31, 2026, the ratio of the National Bank of Romania’s foreign exchange reserves to short-term external debt by remaining maturity stood at 108.1%, compared with 104.4% on December 31, 2025.