The breakdown shows that the deficit on trade in goods shrank by EUR414 million to EUR2.3 billion, while the surplus on services fell by EUR12 million to EUR11 billion.
In terms of services, the IT&C sector saw the highest surplus, of EUR586 million in January 2026, lower by EUR10 million compared to January 2025, followed by the transport sector with a slightly higher surplus of EUR493 million. The deficit in the tourism-travel sector widened to EUR318 million in January 2026, compared to EUR270 million in January 2025.
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 EUR25 million in January 2026, compared to a surplus of EUR505 million reported in January 2025.
The secondary income balance, which includes current private transfers and transfers of the general government, had a surplus of EUR189 million in January 2026, higher by EUR183 million on the year.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) stood at EUR429 million in January 2026, compared to EUR417 million in January 2025. Of the overall FDI, equity stakes (including estimated net reinvestment of earnings) amounted to a net EUR488 million, while intra-group lending reached a net negative value of EUR59 million, central bank data also show.
Romania’s total external debt (public and private) stood at EUR229.3 billion in January 2026, higher by EUR1.98 billion year-on-year, central bank data also show on March 17.
Long-term external debt stood at EUR181.7 billion on January 31, 2026, accounting for 79.2% of the total external debt, up 1.3% versus December 31, 2025. Short-term external debt stood at EUR47.6 billion (accounting for 20.8% of the total external debt) on January 31, 2026, down 0.6% compared to the level recorded on December 31, 2025.
Long-term external debt service ratio stood at 11.8% in January 2026 versus 17.2% in 2025. On January 31, 2026, goods and services import cover stood at 7.2 months, compared to 6 months on December 31, 2025.
On January 31, 2026, the ratio of the National Bank of Romania’s foreign exchange reserves to short-term external debt by remaining maturity came in at 109.6%, compared to 104.8% on December 31, 2025.