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EU Posts €36.3 Billion Transport Services Surplus In 2024

Strong Global Position In Transport Services

The European Union has secured a €36.3 billion surplus in transport services for 2024, underscoring its robust position in the international transport market. According to data released by Eurostat, EU countries exported transport services valued at €258.7 billion, while imports were recorded at €222.4 billion.

Resilient Growth And Market Stabilisation

Export and import values increased compared with 2023. Exports rose by 3.6%, while imports grew by 4.7% year-on-year.

Eurostat said the increase follows a period of stabilisation after a surge in transport service values in 2022, driven by higher energy costs. Data show a consistent pattern in the sector between 2014 and 2024.

Key Trading Partners Driving Growth

The United States was the largest destination for EU transport service exports in 2024, accounting for €45.9 billion, or 17.8% of the total. The United Kingdom followed with €35.6 billion (13.7%).

Switzerland and China, excluding Hong Kong, accounted for €21.4 billion (8.3%) and €20.5 billion (7.9%) respectively. Singapore ranked next with €11.2 billion, representing 4.3% of exports.

Reciprocal Trade Dynamics

Leading export markets were also among the main suppliers of transport services to the EU. Imports from the United States totaled €35.6 billion, or 16.0% of the total.

The United Kingdom followed with €24.1 billion (10.8%), while China accounted for €16.9 billion (7.6%). Switzerland and Singapore contributed €15.1 billion (6.8%) and €11.9 billion (5.3%) respectively.

Market Outlook

The data reflect continued trade flows in transport services between the EU and its main partners. Figures also indicate stable demand across key international markets.

Meta Bets On AI To Strengthen Facebook’s Appeal Among Creators

Meta is expanding its use of artificial intelligence to strengthen Facebook’s appeal among creators, unveiling plans to transform Creator Studio into a standalone AI-powered companion app designed to simplify content management and audience growth.

An AI Assistant Built Around Creator Workflows

Announced on Wednesday, the new app is currently being tested with a select group of creators and incorporates Facebook’s recently launched AI creator assistant. According to Meta, the tool provides personalised recommendations based on a creator’s content, audience engagement, performance metrics and growth objectives.

Rather than navigating multiple dashboards and analytics reports, creators will be able to ask questions directly in a conversational format. Queries such as when to post, how content is performing or what audiences are discussing in the comments can be answered through the assistant, with follow-up prompts offering deeper insights into engagement trends.

From Analytics To Action

Beyond reporting performance data, the platform is designed to help creators act on those insights. A new AI-powered comment management tool will identify priority interactions and suggest responses tailored to the creator’s tone and style. Suggested replies can be reviewed and edited before publication, allowing creators to maintain control over their communication while reducing the time spent managing engagement.

Daily recommendations will also be integrated into the app, highlighting key tasks such as reviewing recent content performance, tracking progress toward audience goals and responding to important comments. The aim is to turn Creator Studio into a more comprehensive productivity tool rather than a traditional analytics platform.

Why Meta Is Pushing Harder For Creators

The initiative comes as competition for creators intensifies across social media platforms. Facebook continues to compete with TikTok and YouTube for audience attention, making creator retention an increasingly important priority. By embedding AI more deeply into creator workflows, Meta is seeking to make content planning, performance analysis and community management easier without requiring users to rely on external tools.

Keeping more of those activities within Facebook’s ecosystem could help strengthen creator engagement while reducing dependence on third-party AI platforms for brainstorming, analytics and audience insights.

Part Of A Broader App Expansion Strategy

Wednesday’s announcement fits into a broader pattern of product launches from Meta. Last month, the company introduced Forum, a stand-alone app for Facebook Groups that functions similarly to Reddit. In April, it launched Instants, an app for sharing disappearing photos with Instagram friends.

The pipeline appears to be growing. The New York Times reported this week that Meta is also building a prediction-market app internally known as Arena, though it has not yet launched. Taken together, these products suggest a company that is increasingly comfortable spinning up focused apps around specific use cases instead of relying solely on its flagship platforms.

That approach aligns with comments CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly made to employees earlier this year, when he pointed to AI-driven efficiencies as a way for Meta to build more apps than it historically has. The message is clear: Meta is not just adding AI features. It is reorganizing product strategy around them.

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