The 25-nation European Union posted a current account deficit of 22.9 billion euros (30.3 billion dollars) for the third quarter, official data showed Tuesday.

The result was slightly wider than the 22.0 billion euro shortfall recorded in the previous three months and the 20.6 billion euros registered in the same quarter of 2005.

The third-quarter deficit amounted to the equivalent of 0.8 percent of gross domestic product, the figures from the EU's Eurostat data agency showed.

The current account covers all transactions between the EU and the outside world with the exception of capital and financial flows.