The primary income balance, which covers funds from investment and employment, posted a surplus of EUR490 million in the first quarter, compared with a surplus of EUR980 million in the same period in 2020.
The goods and services balance recorded a deficit of EUR3.106 billion, compared with a deficit of EUR2.303 billion in the first quarter of 2020.
The secondary income balance posted a surplus of EUR68 million in the first quarter, from a surplus of EUR333 million in the same period the year before.
Foreign direct investment stood at EUR1.535 billion in the first quarter, compared with negative EUR399 million in the first quarter of 2020.
Of total FDI, equity stakes (including estimated net reinvestment of earnings) amounted to EUR1.371 billion, while net intra-group lending stood at EUR164 million, the data showed.
Romania’s total external debt decreased by EUR2.3 billion from end-2020, standing at EUR123.626 billion at the end of March 2021. Long-term debt stood at EUR89.457 billion, down 3.6% since end-2020.