10/12/2004 (Agence Europe) - In the third quarter, the balance of payments of the EU of 25 registered a deficit of 5.3 billion euros, compared with a deficit of more than 6.4 billion in the same period last year. This figure demonstrates that the deficit has grown since the second quarter, when it was 3 billion euros. The initial forecasts also state a surplus of 10.3 billion euros in the balance of services, compared with 8.4 billion in the third quarter of 2003 and 14.3 billion in the second quarter of this year. The eurozone, however, has presented a positive balance of payments and balance of services, 5.8 and 4.8 billion euros respectively, figures which are nonetheless down on the same period in 2003 and the second quarter of 2004.