Direct investment flows comprise all transactions (payment of initial capital, total/partial takeovers or sales, capital increases or decreases, reinvested earnings, deposits, loans, debt securities, trade credits and other accounts) between a direct investor and an enterprise with which the investor is linked by a direct investment relationship, according to the OECD’s Framework for Direct Investment Relationships (FDIR). Direct investment flows also include investment in real estate.
The statistical presentation of direct investment flows follows the “extended directional principle”, whereby transactions between a resident direct investor and a foreign direct investment company are recorded under “direct investment abroad”, while transactions between a non-resident direct investor and a direct investment enterprise resident in Greece are recorded under “direct investment in Greece”.
For the purpose of compiling the direct investment component of the Balance of Payments, the alternative “asset/liability” criterion is used, whereby the compiling economy reports for resident institutional units classified under the FDIR as direct investors, direct investment enterprises or as fellow enterprises, all assets and all liabilities to non-residents.