In January-September 2021, the current account of the balance of payments recorded a deficit of EUR 11.5 billion, compared to EUR 7.836 billion in January-September 2020, data published today by the National Bank of Romania show. This is an increase of about 46.8%. In its structure, the goods and primary income balances recorded higher deficits of €2.719 billion and €145 million respectively; the services and secondary income balances recorded smaller surpluses of €418 million and €382 million respectively.
Non-residents’ direct investment in Romania amounted to EUR 5.279 billion (compared to EUR 1.677 billion in January-September 2020), of which equity holdings (including estimated net reinvested earnings) amounted to EUR 4.383 billion and intra-group loans to EUR 896 million.
Between January and September 2021, total external debt increased by EUR 6.826 billion. In structure: long-term external debt amounted to EUR 97.814 billion as at 30 September 2021 (73.2% of total external debt), up 4.6% compared to 31 December 2020; and short-term external debt amounted to EUR 35.819 billion as at 30 September 2021 (26.8% of total external debt), up 7.7% compared to 31 December 2020.
The long-term external debt service ratio was 17.1 percent in January-September 2021, compared to 20.7 percent in 2020. The import coverage ratio of goods and services on 30 September 2021 was 5.2 months, compared to 5.6 months on 31 December 2020.
The coverage ratio of short-term external debt, calculated at residual value, with foreign exchange reserves at the NBR at 30 September 2021 was 90.9 percent, compared with 90.3 percent at 31 December 2020.