Brussels, 02/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - According to data published by Eurostat on Tuesday 2 June, social protection spending accounted for 26.9% of EU GDP in 2006. This rate was 27.1% in 2005 and 2004 and 27.2% in 2003. The EU average in 2006 continued to mask major disparities between member states. In 2006, social protection expenditure as a percentage of GDP was above 30% in France (31.1%), Sweden (30.7%) and Belgium (30.1%), and below 15% in Latvia (12.2%), Estonia (12.4%), Lithuania (13.2%) and Romania (14.0%). These disparities reflect differences in living standards but are also indicative of the diversity of national social protection systems and of the demographic, economic, social and institutional structures specific to each member state. In the EU27 in 2006, expenditure on old age and survivors benefits accounted for 46% of total spending on social protection benefits, sickness and health care benefits for 29%, disability benefits and family and children benefits for 8% each, unemployment benefits for 6% and housing and social exclusion benefits for 4%. (L.C./transl.jl)