Still signs of recovery from the euro area economy: in 2015, notes Eurostat, the GDP in the euro area increased by 1,6%, and in the entire European Union of 28 countries by 1,9%. In 2014, gross domestic product increased by 0,9% and 1,4% respectively.
In detail, Eurostat published the data for the fourth and last quarter of 2015: GDP in the euro area grew on a quarterly basis by 0,3%, in the EU-28 by 0,4%, practically at the same rate as in the third quarter when it had grown respectively by 0,3% and 0,4%. Compared to a year earlier, the increase was 1,6% and 1,8% respectively.
In Italy according to Eurostat, GDP increased by 0,1% compared to the previous quarter, in Germany and France by 0,3%, in Spain by 0,8%. Among the EU Member States, these are the most significant data: Sweden +1,3%, Estonia +1,2%, Poland and Romania +1,1%, Hungary and Slovakia +1%, Croatia -0,5% and Latvia -0,3%. The Czech Republic is stable.
Eurostat has also published data on household consumption expenditure: in the last quarter of last year it increased by 0,2% in the Eurozone, and in the EU it grew by 0,4%. Final consumption expenditure gave a positive contribution to GDP growth in the two areas: +0,1% in the Eurozone and +0,2% in the 28-member Union.
