09/06/2026 (Agence Europe) – In the first quarter of 2026, seasonally adjusted GDP fell by 0.2% in the euro area and by 0.1% in the European Union compared with the last quarter of 2025, according to an estimate published by the EU’s statistical office (Eurostat) on Friday 5 June. The largest increases were recorded in Denmark (+1.9%), Estonia and Malta (+1.1% each), while declines were observed in Ireland (-12.1%), Lithuania (-0.3%), Sweden (-0.2%) and France (-0.1%). As regards employment, Eurostat estimates that, in the first quarter of 2026, the number of employed people increased by 0.1% (to a total of 176.3 million) in the euro area and remained stable in the EU (221.2 million people in total), compared with the previous quarter. (MB)