Brussels, 02/09/2010 (Agence Europe) - During the second quarter of 2010, GDP in the eurozone and in the EU27 increased by 1% compared with the previous quarter, when growth had reached 0.3% in both areas, according to first estimates released by Eurostat on Thursday 2 September. Compared with the second quarter of 2009, seasonally adjusted GDP increased by 1.9% in both the eurozone and the EU27, after +0.8% and +0.7% respectively for the previous quarter.
Looking at the variation in GDP components, household final consumption expenditure during the second quarter of 2010 increased by 0.5% in both the eurozone and the EU27 (after +0.2% and +0.1% respectively in the previous quarter). Investments increased by 1.8% in the euro area and by 1.7% in the EU27 (after -0.4% and -0.6% respectively). Exports increased by 4.4% in the euro area and by 4.9% in the EU27 (after +2.4% and +2.0%). Imports increased by 4.4% in the eurozone and by 4.0% in the EU27 (after +4.0% and +3.6% during the first quarter of the year).
Lithuania notched up the biggest increase of GDP during the second quarter (+3.2% after a fall of 4% during the previous quarter), followed by Finland (+3.1% after -0.4%) and Germany (+2.2% after +0.5%). GDP in the United Kingdom increased by 1.2% (after +0.3%), in France by 0.6% (after +0.2%), and in Italy by 0.4% (unchanged compared to the previous quarter). GDP in Spain was up by 0.2% (after +0.1%) and Portugal by 0.2% (after +1.1%). According to data available, Greece is the only country with a decline in GDP during the second quarter (fall of 1.5% after -0.8%). (A.B./transl.jl)