THE balance of payments for the EU was in the red to the tune of 6.8 billion euro for the third quarter of 2000

Date: 08/02/01

The figure is up from €1.6 billion for the same period in 1999, but down from the deficit of €8.8 billion recorded in the second quarter of last year. Eurostat, the EU's statistical office, blames the surge in the current account deficit to an increase in imports, high oil prices and a strong dollar.