Brussels, 15/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - The economy in the euro zone and that of Europe of the Fifteen (EU15) slowed down in the third quarter of 2000, according to Eurostat: the level of GDP growth recorded in the zones for the period under consideration was, indeed, 0.7% of GDP, against 0.8% and 0.9%, respectively in the previous quarter. These results may mainly be explained by a strong rise in exports in the euro zone and the EU15, likewise for imports. Growth in investments was up slightly (+0.3% of the GDP variation in the euro zone and the EU15), whereas the growth in the end consumer spending of households slowed down (0.2 and 0.3% of the GDP, respectively).
Compared to the third quarter 1999, the GDP in the euro zone and that of the EU15 increased 3.4%, against, respectively +3.7 and +3.6% in the second quarter, whereas the GDP of the United States, in the same period, recorded a growth of 5.3%. In addition, the rates of inflation in the euro zone moved from 2.7% in October to2.9% in November 2000. The corresponding figures for the EU15 are 2.4% and 2.6%. In November 1999, the inflation rate in the EU15 was 1.4%. The States of the EU that recorded the lowest rates of inflation in November 2000, were the United Kingdom (1%), Sweden (1.8%), and France (2.2%). The highest rates were those of Ireland (6%), Luxembourg (4.5%) and Spain (4.1%).