Brussels, 23/04/2015 (Agence Europe) - The average public deficit of the eurozone and of the EU fell between 2013 and 2014, from 2.9% to 2.4% and from 3.2% to 2.9% of GDP respectively, whilst the average public debt increased, from 90.9% to 91.9% of GDP for the eurozone and from 85.5% to 86.8% of GDP at the level of the EU as a whole, according to figures published by the statistical office of the EU (Eurostat) on Wednesday 22 April.
In 2014, Denmark (1.2%), Germany (0.7%) and Estonia and Luxembourg (0.6% each) recorded a government surplus. The lowest deficits were to be seen in Lithuania (0.7%), Latvia (1.4%) and Romania (1.5%). Deficit was above 3% of GDP in 12 countries: Cyprus (8.8%), Spain (5.8%), Croatia and the United Kingdom (5.7% each), Slovenia (4.9%), Portugal (4.5%), Ireland (4.1%), France (4.0%), Greece (3.5%) and Belgium, Poland and Finland (3.2% each).
At the end of 2014, Estonia (10.6%), Luxembourg (23.6%), Bulgaria (27.6%) and Romania (39.8%) had the lowest ratios of public debt to GDP. 16 countries recorded a debt ratio above 60% of GDP, with the highest in Greece (177.1%), Italy (132.1%), Portugal (130.2%), Ireland (109.7%), Cyprus (107.5%) and Belgium (106.5%). (Mathieu Bion)