site.btaEU Imported Nearly EUR 3.5 Trillion Worth of Services in 2024, Bulgaria Records Highest Share via Foreign Affiliates

The European Union imported services worth EUR 3.471 trillion from non-EU countries in 2024, according to data from the European statistical office Eurostat, published on its website Tuesday.

Most of these services (58.9% or EUR 2.044 trillion) were imported through commercial presence in the reporting country - provided by a service supplier from one country via a commercial presence in another country. Cross-border supply accounted for 31.3% of imports (EUR 1.087 trillion), consumption abroad 6.6% (EUR 229 billion), and the presence of natural persons 3.2% (EUR 111 billion).

In 22 EU countries, the majority of service imports occurred through commercial presence. The highest shares of imports via this mode in 2024 were recorded in Bulgaria (81.7%), Hungary (78.1%), and Spain (74.5%). Cross-border supply (Mode 1) was the main mode of service imports in Greece (68.8%), with Cyprus (43.8%), Sweden (37.7%), and Denmark (37.4%) also reporting high shares.

Consumption abroad - services consumed in a country by residents of another country - plays a significant role in Denmark (22.3% of imports). France (12.1%), Lithuania (10.8%), Croatia (10.4%), and Italy (10.3%) also report notable shares, while in other EU countries it accounts for less than 10% of total service imports.

The presence of natural persons - services delivered by individuals from another country physically present in the importing country - is most pronounced in Cyprus and Denmark (7.3% each) and Belgium (5.4%).