Seasonally adjusted GDP rose by 2.2% in the euro area and by 2.1% in the European Union, compared with the previous quarter, according to the estimate published by the EU statistical office (Eurostat) on Tuesday 7 December.
In the second quarter, GDP also grew by 2.2% in the euro area and by 2.1% in the EU compared with the same quarter of the previous year.
In the third quarter, Austria (+3.8%) recorded the highest increase in GDP compared to the previous quarter, followed by France (+3.0%) and Portugal (+2.9%). The smallest increases were registered in Romania and Slovakia (+0.4%). In Germany, growth amounted to 1.6% of national GDP, in Spain to 2.0% and in Italy to 2.6%.
Over the same period, household final consumption expenditure increased by 4.1% in the euro area and by 4.0% in the EU (after +3.9% in the euro area and +3.7% in the EU in the previous quarter). Its contribution to GDP growth was strongly positive in both the euro area and the EU (+2.1 and +2.0 percentage points respectively).
Employment. In the third quarter, the number of persons employed increased by 0.9% in both the euro area and the EU compared to the previous quarter. In the second quarter, it increased by 0.8% in both zones.
Ireland (+4.0%), Spain (+2.6%), Lithuania (+2.1%), Estonia and Greece (both +1.9%) recorded the highest growth of employment in persons compared to the previous quarter. A decrease was observed in Latvia (-2.0%). (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)