Key information about European Union Government Debt: % of GDP

• European Union Government debt accounted for 81.9 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Jun 2025, compared with the ratio of 81.5 % in the previous quarter.
• EU government debt to GDP ratio data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 2000 to Jun 2025.
• The data reached an all-time high of 709.6 % in Jun 2020 and a record low of -41,680.0 % in Oct 2025.

CEIC calculates quarterly Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Government Debt and rolling sum of quarterly Nominal GDP. Eurostat provides Government Debt in EUR and Nominal GDP in EUR. European Union stands for EU27 excluding UK.


Related information about European Union Government Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, EU National Government Debt reached 17,710.7 USD bn in Jun 2025.
• The country's Nominal GDP reached 5,301.1 USD bn in Jun 2025.

This dataset provides values for GOVERNMENT DEBT TO GDP reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

The average level of government debt to GDP ratios in the European Union and the Euro currency area increased rapidly following the Global Financial Crisis of 2007-2008 and subsequent recession, peaking in the Eurozone at 93.2 percent of GDP. This figure was exceeded once more in 2020 due to increased borrowing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Eurozone average now being over 90% of yearly production. The debt to GDP ratio measures the stock of government debt which is yet to be paid off in relation to the Gross Domestic Product of a country or region, which is the monetary value of goods and services produced and sold in a year. This ratio gives a clearer picture of debt sustainability than by looking at the absolute value of debt, as a country with a large economy may be able to easily pay off debts which seem large in absolute terms, but are in fact small in comparison to GDP.

European Union recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 80.70 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides - European Union Government Debt To GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Key information about European Union External Debt: % of GDP

• European Union External Debt accounted for 109.7 % of the country's Nominal GDP in 2024, compared with the ratio of 110.9 % in the previous year.
• EU External Debt: % of Nominal GDP data is updated yearly, available from Dec 2008 to Dec 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 134.2 % in Dec 2016 and a record low of 109.7 % in Dec 2024.

CEIC calculates External Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly External Debt and quarterly Nominal GDP. European Central Bank provides External Debt in EUR. Eurostat provides Nominal GDP in EUR. External Debt as % of Nominal GDP covers Euro Area 20. External Debt as % of Nominal GDP prior to 2013 covers Euro Area 19.


Related information about European Union External Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports of EU, Current Account recorded a surplus of 149.6 USD bn in Sep 2025.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 11.9 USD bn in Sep 2025.
• EU Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 7.3 USD bn in Sep 2025.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 210.3 USD bn in Sep 2025.
• The country's External Debt reached 19,891,982.8 in Jun 2025.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 5,301.1 USD bn in Jun 2025.

This statistic shows the national debt of the European Union and the euro area in relation to the gross domestic product (GDP) from 2020 to 2024, with projections up until 2030. In 2024, the national debt of the European Union amounted to approximately 82.5 percent of the gross domestic product.

Euro Area recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 87.10 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Euro Area Government Debt to GDP - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

In the third quarter of 2024, Greece's national debt was the highest in all the European Union, amounting to 158 percent of Greece's gross domestic product. In spite of Greece's total being high by EU standards, it marks a substantial decrease from the historical high point reached by the country's national debt of 207 percent of GDP in 2020. Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, and Portugal also all have government debt worth over one year's production of their economies, while the small Baltic country of Estonia has the smallest national debt when compared with GDP, at only 24 percent. In debitum incrementum?A country’s national debt, also known as government debt or public debt, is defined as all borrowings owed by the government of a country. It usually comprises internal debt – owed to other governmental departments – and external debt, which is held by the public and is owed to government bond owners. National debt can be caused by a struggling economy in general, or by low tax income, which usually leads to money being borrowed from other governments for support, which in turn cannot be paid back right away. At first glance, a high national debt is not always a sign of a struggling economy – but since increasing debt can slow down economic growth significantly, it is imperative for the respective government to seek a steady reduction in the long run.

Key information about European Union Household Debt: % of GDP

• European Union household debt accounted for 50.9 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Jun 2025, compared with the ratio of 50.8 % in the previous quarter.
• EU household debt to GDP ratio is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1999 to Jun 2025.
• The data reached an all-time high of 64.4 % in Dec 2009 and a record low of 47.8 % in Mar 1999.

CEIC calculates quarterly Household Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Household Debt and quarterly Nominal GDP. Eurostat provides Household Debt: Loans in EUR. Eurostat provides Nominal GDP in EUR. Household Debt includes NPISH.


Related information about European Union Household Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, EU Household Debt reached 7,877.1 USD bn in Oct 2025.
• Money Supply M2 in EU increased 3.1 % YoY in Oct 2025.
• EU Foreign Exchange Reserves was measured at 322.0 USD bn in Oct 2025.
• The Foreign Exchange Reserves equaled 1.2 Months of Import in Sep 2025.
• EU Domestic Credit reached 24,974.9 USD bn in Feb 2025, representing an increased of 1.6 % YoY.

Key information about European Union Total Debt: % of GDP

• European Union Total Debt accounted for 689.7 % of the country's GDP in 2024, compared with the ratio of 703.8 % in the previous year.
• EU Total Debt: % of GDP data is updated yearly, available from Dec 2001 to Dec 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 833.3 % in Dec 2020 and a record low of 553.3 % in Dec 2001.

CEIC calculates annual Total Debt as % of Nominal GDP from annual Total Debt and quarterly Nominal GDP. Total Debt is calculated as the Total Liabilities less Equity & Investment Fund Shares and Financial Derivatives. Eurostat provides Total Debt in EUR and Nominal GDP in EUR. European Union stands for EU27 excluding UK.

Several European Union member states have struggled with high levels of public debt in the period since the Global Financial Crisis. In particular, Greece's debt skyrocketed during the recession which followed the crisis, culminating in a period of intense political and social upheaval during the early 2010s in which the country came close to having to leave the Euro single currency zone. Along with Italy, Portugal, Spain and France, Greece is part of a group of EU members who have seen their debt soar to a value worth over one year's aggregate production in their economies (i.e. 100% of GDP) due to slow economic growth coupled with increasing public liabilities due to the need to provide emergency support to their domestic financial systems. Belgium, while also a part of this group of high-debt ratio countries has quite different circumstances, as its debt ratio has in fact fallen since the 1990s, remaining 20 percent below its 1995 level, even after a spike due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Historical dataset showing European Union debt to gdp ratio by year from 1998 to 2022.

The ratio of national debt to gross domestic product (GDP) of Italy was about 135.29 percent in 2024. From 1988 to 2024, the ratio rose by approximately 39.57 percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. Between 2024 and 2030, the ratio will rise by around 2.41 percentage points, showing an overall upward trend with periodic ups and downs.The general government gross debt consists of all liabilities that require payment or payments of interest and/or principal by the debtor to the creditor at a date or dates in the future. Here it is depicted in relation to the country's GDP, which refers to the total value of goods and services produced during a year.

. Private Debt is calculated as the sum of Loans to Non Financial Sector and Households. European Central Bank provides Private Debt in EUR. Eurostat provides Nominal GDP in EUR.

Key information about European Union National Government Debt

• European Union National Government Debt reached 17,710.7 USD bn in Jun 2025, compared with 16,008.2 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• EU National Government Debt data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 2000 to Jun 2025.
• The data reached an all-time high of 17,710.7 USD bn in Jun 2025 and a record low of 4,554.8 USD bn in Jun 2001.

CEIC converts quarterly Government Debt into USD. Eurostat provides Government Debt in EUR based on ESA 2010. The Federal Reserve Board period end market exchange rate is used for currency conversions. European Union stands for EU27 excluding UK.


Related information about European Union National Government Debt

• In the latest reports, EU Consolidated Fiscal Balance recorded a deficit equal to 3.1 % of its Nominal GDP in Dec 2024.
• The country's Government debt accounted for 81.9 % of its Nominal GDP in Jun 2025.
• EU Nominal GDP reached 5,301.1 USD bn in Jun 2025.

The ratio of national debt to gross domestic product (GDP) of Germany amounted to about 63.89 percent in 2024. Between 1991 and 2024, the ratio rose by approximately 24.40 percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. The ratio will steadily rise by around 10.96 percentage points over the period from 2024 to 2030, reflecting a clear upward trend.The general government gross debt consists of all liabilities that require payment or payments of interest and/or principal by the debtor to the creditor at a date or dates in the future. Here it is depicted in relation to the country's GDP, which refers to the total value of goods and services produced during a year.

Households Debt In the Euro Area decreased to 51.10 percent of GDP in the first quarter of 2025 from 51.40 percent of GDP in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - Euro Area Households Debt To Gdp- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

This statistic shows the debt-to-GDP ratio for selected European countries in 2014. While Romania's debt-to-GDP ratio was *** percent in 2014, Ireland's was almost **** times as high. The majority of the selected countries had debt-to-GDP ratios of more than *** percent in 2014.

This dataset provides values for PRIVATE DEBT TO GDP reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Key information about EU External Debt

• European Union External Debt reached 19,892.0 USD bn in Jun 2025, compared with 18,347.6 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• EU External Debt: USD mn data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 2008 to Jun 2025.
• The data reached an all-time high of 19,892.0 USD bn in Jun 2025 and a record low of 13,821.6 USD bn in Jun 2010.

CEIC converts quarterly External Debt into USD. European Central Bank provides External Debt in EUR. The Federal Reserve Board period end market exchange rate is used for currency conversions. External Debt prior to Q1 2013 covers Euro Area 19.


Related information about EU External Debt

• In the latest reports of EU, Current Account recorded a surplus of 149.6 USD bn in Sep 2025.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 11.9 USD bn in Sep 2025.
• EU Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 7.3 USD bn in Sep 2025.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 210.3 USD bn in Sep 2025.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 5,301.1 USD bn in Jun 2025.