24/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Euro area current accounts registered a surplus of 8.1 billion euro in December 2002 (10.3 billion euro in November), the ECB announced on Monday, adding that: trade in goods saw a surplus of 10.5 billion (13.6 billion in November); - the surplus in direct investments reached 9.6 billion (3.9 billion in November); - portfolio investments generated a deficit of 13.9 billion (surplus of 9.7 billion in November).