Brussels, 23/01/2013 (Agence Europe) - According to figures released on Wednesday 23 January 2013 by Eurostat, the average proportion of public debt to GDP was 90.0% in the eurozone at the end of the third quarter of 2012, compared with 89.9% at the end of the second quarter of 2012. In the EU27, the equivalent figures were 85.1% and 85.0%. Compared with the third quarter of 2011, public debt as a proportion of GDP rose in the eurozone from 86.8% to 90.0 % and in the EU27 from 81.5% to 85.1%.
At the end of the third quarter 2012, public debt as a proportion of GDP was highest in Greece (152.6%), Italy (127.3%), Portugal (120.3%) and Ireland (117.0 %), and lowest in Estonia (9.6%), Bulgaria (18.7%) and Luxembourg (20.9 %). (OL/transl.fl)