Balance of payments of a country is a systematic overview of all economic transactions of residents with non-residents of a country in a given period, usually for a period of one year. It can be an indicator of the power of the national currency as well as the indicator of the potential foreign demand for domestic securities. As a criterion for assessing the economic relations with foreign countries are taken long-term items in the balance of payments. Through the analysis of the balance of payments economic policy makers make the right conclusions on the future movement of the exchange rate of the national currency, the external debt of the country and taking measures of macroeconomic policy in order to improve the country's competitiveness and to achieve the overall economic balance within the framework of international economic relations. Detailed analysis of the balance of payments could give the correct answers on the current status, trends and forecasts in the structure of the balance of payments due to the current situation. The subject of this paper is the balance of payments and the impact of the international exchange between countries on the state of the economy. The aim is to show the importance and significance of international trade in the EU. The paper explains the structure of the balance of payments, sources of imbalances and policies to balance the same. On the example of selected EU countries (Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Greece and Croatia) is shown the structure and condition of the balance of payments and imbalance in international trade.