Euro area GDP increased 0.4 percent in the third quarter of 2026 from the previous quarter, and EU GDP rose 0.5 percent, Eurostat’s flash estimate showed, down from 0.6 percent and 0.7 percent respectively in the second quarter. From a year earlier, GDP rose 1.3 percent in the euro area and 1.5 percent in the EU, while the number of employed persons was unchanged in both areas in the quarter. France contracted 0.1 percent, Italy was flat, Germany grew 0.2 percent and Spain grew 0.6 percent, and United States GDP rose 0.8 percent in the quarter, up 2.1 percent from a year earlier.
Euro area growth slows to 0.4 percent in third quarter
Euro area GDP rose 0.4 percent in the third quarter of 2026, down from 0.6 percent in the second quarter, while employment was flat and France contracted 0.1 percent, Eurostat's flash estimate showed.
Why it matters: Growth is cooling but still positive across the bloc, with France shrinking and Germany growing only 0.2 percent, a mix that leaves the European Central Bank without a clear growth case for either easing or tightening.
Data as of Eurostat flash estimate of November 13, 2026, read in full. Developing item.
Sources
- GDP up by 0.4% and employment stable in the euro area - Eurostat - 2026-11-13