In 2023, the gross domestic product in the European Union grew by 0.8 percent, as economic stagnation and high inflation caused by the Russia-Ukraine war impacted European economies. The European Commission forecasts that the European economy will have grown by 0.9 percent in 2024, continuing the trend registered in the previous year. This represents slow economic growth after the post-pandemic resurgence, yet avoids the recession many commentators warned the EU might slip into. Growth is forecast to increase again in 2025, climbing to 1.5 percent—a figure considered low by historical EU standards, excluding periods of economic crisis.

The statistic shows the growth of the real gross domestic product (GDP) in the European Union and the Euro area from 2019 to 2023, with projections up until 2029. GDP refers to the total market value of all goods and services that are produced within a country per year. It is an important indicator of the economic strength of a country. Real GDP is adjusted for price changes and is therefore regarded as a key indicator for economic growth. In 2022, the GDP in the European Union increased by about 3.61 percent compared to the previous year. Growth trends in the EU compared to the euro area The euro area, which is also called the eurozone, is an economic and monetary union (EMU) which includes 19 of the 27 European Union member states which have formally adopted the euro. Those countries include Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain. Member states which have not yet adopted the euro include Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Additionally, there is the so-called Schengen Area, which is composed of EU and non-EU states, and has been established mainly to facilitate travelling in Europe. While some countries, such as Kosovo and Montenegro have adopted the euro unilaterally, they are not formally part of the eurozone. Others have established a monetary agreement with the EU to use the euro, such as Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican, but they do not form part of the official euro area. As can be seen in the chart, annual GDP growth slumped in 2012 and 2013, presumably as a result of the global financial crisis, in both the EU and the euro area. In 2013, growth began increasing ever so slightly and in 2014 the EU regained a bit of stability. However, overall recovery in the EU has been relatively moderate and gradual; growth throughout the EU has been slightly better than in the euro area and is projected to remain slightly better for the foreseeable future. Relatively new member states such as Romania and Czechia, which have not yet adopted the euro, reported the highest annual growth rates in the EU in 2015, and generally, new member states show slightly better growth rates. Also, unemployment has been slightly higher in the euro area compared to the EU for the last ten years (267906). The unemployment rate also remains relatively high for both the EU and the euro area. As for public spending as a share of GDP, these figures are slightly higher in the euro area than in the EU as a whole. The member states with the highest national debt include the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Germany - some of the oldest members of the euro area. The national debt of the euro area is slightly higher than the national debt of the EU as a whole, underlining the economic situation of both areas.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in European Union expanded 1.40 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024 over the same quarter of the previous year. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - European Union GDP Annual Growth Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Annual percentage growth rate of GDP at market prices based on constant local currency. Aggregates are based on constant 2010 U.S. dollars. GDP is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources.

The fastest growing economy in Europe in 2024 was Malta. The small Mediterranean country's gross domestic product grew at five percent in 2024, beating out Montenegro which had a growth rate of almost four percent and the Russian Federation which had a rate of 3.6 percent in the same year. Estonia was the country with the largest negative growth in 2024, as the Baltic country's economy shrank by 0.88 percent compared with 2023, largely as a result of the country's exposure to the economic effects of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent economic sanctions placed on Russia. Germany, Europe's largest economy, experience economic stagnation with a growth of 0.1 percent. Overall, the EU (which contains 27 European countries) registered a growth rate of one percent and the Eurozone (which contains 20) grew by 0.8 percent.

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

The economy of the European Union is set to grow by 1.5 percent in 2025, according to forecasts by the European Commission. This marks a significant slowdown compared to previous years, when the EU member states grew quickly in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic. Malta is the country which is forecasted to grow the most in 2025, with an annual growth rate of 4.3 percent. Many of Europe's largest economies, on the other hand, are set to experiencing slow growth or stagnation, with Germany, France, and Italy growing below two percent.

GDP at purchaser's prices is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in current U.S. dollars. Dollar figures for GDP are converted from domestic currencies using single year official exchange rates. For a few countries where the official exchange rate does not reflect the rate effectively applied to actual foreign exchange transactions, an alternative conversion factor is used.

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in European Union was last recorded at 34601.03 US dollars in 2023. The GDP per Capita in European Union is equivalent to 274 percent of the world's average. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - European Union GDP Per Capita - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The real gross domestic product (GDP) of Malta is estimated to have grown by 7.5 percent in 2023 and is projected to grow a further five percent in 2024, which are the highest growth rates across all European countries for each year. In comparison, Estonia, Austria, Finland, and Ireland all had negative growth rates in 2023.

Graph and download economic data for Real Gross Domestic Product for Euro Area (19 Countries) (CLVMNACSCAB1GQEA19) from Q1 1995 to Q4 2024 about Euro Area, Europe, real, and GDP.

GDP per capita is gross domestic product divided by midyear population. GDP is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in current U.S. dollars.

With a Gross Domestic Product of over 4.18 trillion Euros, the German economy was by far the largest in Europe in 2023. The similar-sized economies of the United Kingdom and France were the second and third largest economies in Europe during this year, followed by Italy and Spain. The smallest economy in this statistic is that of the small Balkan nation of Montenegro, which had a GDP of 5.7 billion Euros. In this year, the combined GDP of the 27 member states that compose the European Union amounted to approximately 17.1 trillion Euros. The big five Germany’s economy has consistently had the largest economy in Europe since 1980, even before the reunification of West and East Germany. The United Kingdom, by contrast, has had mixed fortunes during the same time period and had a smaller economy than Italy in the late 1980s. The UK also suffered more than the other major economies during the recession of the late 2000s, meaning the French economy was the second largest on the continent for some time afterward. The Spanish economy was continually the fifth-largest in Europe in this 38-year period, and from 2004 onwards, has been worth more than one trillion Euros. The smallest GDP, the highest economic growth in Europe Despite having the smallerst GDP of Europe, Montenegro emerged as the fastest growing economy in the continent, achieving an impressive annual growth rate of 4.5 percent, surpassing Turkey's growth rate of 4 percent. Overall,this Balkan nation has shown a remarkable economic recovery since the 2010 financial crisis, with its GDP projected to grow by 28.71 percent between 2024 and 2029. Contributing to this positive trend are successful tourism seasons in recent years, along with increased private consumption and rising imports. Europe's economic stagnation Malta, Albania, Iceland, and Croatia were among the countries reporting some of the highest growth rates this year. However, Europe's overall performance reflected a general slowdown in growth compared to the trend seen in 2021, during the post-pandemic recovery. Estonia experienced the sharpest negative growth in 2023, with its economy shrinking by 2.3% compared to 2022, primarily due to the negative impact of sanctions placed on its large neighbor, Russia. Other nations, including Sweden, Germany, and Finland, also recorded slight negative growth.

Key information about European Union Private Consumption: % of GDP

• European Union Private Consumption accounted for 51.9 % of its Nominal GDP in Dec 2024, compared with a ratio of 53.2 % in the previous quarter.
• EU Private Consumption contribution to Nominal GDP ratio is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1995 to Dec 2024, with an average share of 55.2 %.
• The data reached an all-time high of 56.9 % in Mar 1997 and a record low of 50.0 % in Dec 2020.

CEIC calculates Private Consumption as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Private Consumption Expenditure and quarterly Nominal GDP. Eurostat provides Private Consumption Expenditure in EUR and Nominal GDP in EUR. European Union stands for EU27 excluding UK.


Related information about European Union Private Consumption: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, EU GDP expanded 1.0 % YoY in Mar 2023.
• Its Nominal GDP reached 4,430.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.
• EU GDP Per Capita reached 38,468.8 USD in Dec 2021.
• Its Gross Savings Rate was measured at 25.7 % in Dec 2024.

The benchmark interest rate In the Euro Area was last recorded at 2.65 percent. This dataset provides - Euro Area Interest Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Inflation Rate In the Euro Area decreased to 2.30 percent in February from 2.50 percent in January of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Euro Area Inflation Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The statistic shows the inflation rate in the European Union and the Euro area from 2019 to 2022, with projections up until 2029. The term inflation, also known as currency devaluation (drop in the value of money), is characterized by a steady rise in prices for finished products (consumer goods, capital goods). The consumer price index tracks price trends of private consumption expenditure, and shows an increase in the index's current level of inflation. In 2022, the inflation rate in the EU was about 9.32 percent compared to the previous year. The economic situation in the European Union and the euro area The ongoing Eurozone crisis, which initially emerged in 2009, has dramatically affected most countries in the European Union. The crisis primarily prevented many countries from refinancing their debt without help from a third party and slowed economic growth throughout the entire EU. As a result, general gross debt escalated annually in the euro area and more prominently in the EU. The collective sum of debt is most likely going to continue, given the current global economic situation as well as Europe’s recovering, however struggling economy. Struggles are primarily evident in the EU’s budget balance, which saw itself in the negative every year over the same timeframe as the eurozone crisis, although the balances improved on a yearly basis. Despite economical struggles, the EU still grew in population almost every year over the past decade, primarily due to a high standard of living and job opportunities, compared to many of its surrounding neighbors.

The average for 2023 based on 44 countries was 44137.65 U.S. dollars. The highest value was in Monaco: 256580.52 U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Ukraine: 5069.7 U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

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

Wages In the Euro Area increased 4.10 percent in December of 2024 over the same month in the previous year. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Euro Area Wage Growth - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.