Many economists doubt the usefulness of foreign direct investment statistics for macroeconomic analysis. A new international standard, based on the restatement of intra-group loans, should soon come into force and provide more understandable data.

France’s direct investment flows drawn up according to the future international standards produce different results from those compiled using the current methodology. Inflows and outflows are on average EUR 30 billion lower from 1999 onwards and recent developments are signifi cantly altered.