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EU27 investment in the rest of the world down by 30% in 2008
Investment in EU27 down by 60%

In 2008, EU27 FDI1 (foreign direct investment) in extra-EU27 countries 
(outflows) fell by 28%, from 496 billion euro in 2007 to 354 bn in 2008, 
while FDI into the EU27 from the rest of the world (inflows) decreased by 
57%, from 400 bn to 173 bn. In 2008, intra-EU272 FDI flows dropped by 42% 
compared with 2007.

In 2008 the EU27 invested 149 bn euro in the USA, compared with 171 bn in 
2007. EU27 investments also fell in Offshore financial centres3 (from 130 bn 
to 43 bn) and Canada (from 42 bn to 9 bn). Investments grew with Switzerland 
(from 24 bn to 33 bn) and Russia (from 16 bn to 22 bn), and remained nearly 
stable with Hong Kong (from 8 bn to 7 bn).

The USA invested 45 bn euro in the EU27 in 2008, compared with 194 bn in 
2007. Investments in the EU27 also fell from Offshore financial centres3 
(from 124 bn to 45 bn), Switzerland (from 20 bn to 5 bn), Japan (from 19 bn 
to 4 bn) and India (from 10 bn to 2 bn), while investments from Canada (from 
14 bn to 18 bn) and Brazil (from 2 bn to 7 bn) rose.

Despite its growing importance in trade in goods, EU27 FDI flows with China 
(excluding Hong Kong) remained modest in 2008, with EU27 investment of 5 bn 
euro in China and Chinese investment of 0.1 bn in the EU27.

These figures4, published by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the 
European Communities, come from the first FDI results for 2008.

at: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/eurostat/home