13/05/2026 (Agence Europe) – In the first quarter of 2026, seasonally-adjusted GDP rose by 0.1% in the euro area and by 0.2% in the European Union compared with the previous quarter, according to a flash estimate published by the EU’s statistical office (Eurostat) on Wednesday 13 May. Of the nineteen countries for which data is available, growth was strongest in Finland (0.9%), Hungary (0.8%), Bulgaria (0.7% of GDP), Spain and Estonia (both 0.6%). Four countries recorded a fall in their national GDP: Ireland (-0.2%), Lithuania (-0.4%), Romania and Sweden (both -0.2%). Growth was moderate in Germany (0.3%), weak in Italy (0.2%) and stagnant in France (0.0%). Also, according to Eurostat, employment rose by 0.1% in the first quarter of this year. (MB)