Seasonally adjusted GDP rose by 0.3% in the euro area and by 0.4% in the European Union in the fourth quarter of 2021, compared with the previous quarter, according to the estimate published by the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) on Tuesday 15 February.
In the third quarter of 2021, GDP grew by 2.3% in the euro area and by 2.2% in the EU.
Among the twenty Member States for which data were available, growth was strongest in Hungary (2.1%), Spain (2.0%), Poland (1.7%) and Portugal (1.6%). GDP growth was 0.7% in France and 0.6% in Italy. On the other hand, a decrease was observed in Austria (-2.2%), Germany (-0.7%) and Romania (-0.5%).
According to a first estimation of annual growth for 2021, based on seasonally and calendar adjusted quarterly data, GDP increased by 5.2% in both the euro area and the EU.
In its winter economic forecasts, the European Commission expects GDP to rise by 5.3% in the EU19 and EU27 (see EUROPE 12888/5).
Employment. The number of employed persons increased by 0.5% in both the euro area and in the EU in the fourth quarter of 2021.
According to a first estimation of annual growth for 2021, based on quarterly data, employment increased by 1.1% in the euro area and 1.2% in the EU. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)