Basic figures on the EU. Fourth quarter 2014.
Date: 2014-11-27
Institutions: Eurostat
Subjects: EU Member State, EU statistics, economic statistics, employment statistics, euro area, population statistics, serial publication

Compact guides

Basic figures on the EU
Fourth quarter 2014

Indicators of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, 
sustainable and inclusive growth

EU-28

2005 2012

2013

Target

EU-28

2005 2012

2013

l

-
y
o
p
m
E

t
n
e
m

Employment rate
(% of population aged 20–64)
 — male
 — female

EU-28
D Gross domestic

&
R

expenditure on R&D
(% of GDP)

/
e
g
n
a
h
c
e
t
a
m

i
l

C

y
g
r
e
n
e

Greenhouse gas emissions
(index, 1990 = 100)
Renewables in gross final
energy consumption (%)
Primary energy consumption 
(million tonnes of oil equivalent)

67.9

68.4

68.4

75

76.0
60.0

74.5
62.4
2005 2012

74.3
62.6
2013

1.82

2.07

93.2

82.1

8.7

14.1

Target

3

Target

80

20

:

:

:

1  711.6 1 583.5

: 1 483

EU-28

2005 2012

2013

Target

Early leavers from education
& training
(% of population aged 18–24)
— male
— female
Tertiary educational attainment
(% of population aged 30–34)
— male
— female

EU-28 (1)
People at-risk-of poverty
or social exclusion (million)
People at-risk-of poverty
or social exclusion (%)
In households with very
low work intensity (%)
At-risk-of-poverty after
social transfers (%)
Severely materially
deprived (%)

n
o
i
t
a
c
u
d
E

n
o
i
s
u
l
c
x
e

l
a
i
c
o
s
r
o
y
t
r
e
v
o
P

15.7

12.7

12.0

< 10

17.7
13.7

14.4
10.9

13.6
10.2

28.1

35.9 

36.9

≥ 40

26.1
30.1

31.7
40.2
2005 2012

32.7
41.2
2013

Target

124.3 124.5

122 .6

96.6

25.7

24.8

24.5

10.4

10.5

10.7

16.4

16.9

16.7

10.8

9.9

9.6

(¹) 2005: EU-27. The target is 20 million less than the 2008 figure (see conclusions of European Council 17 June 
2010 at http://ec.europa.eu/eu2020/pdf/council_conclusion_17_june_en.pdf).
Source: Eurostat (http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/europe_2020_indicators/headline_
indicators)

 
 
 
 
 
 
Selected Principal European Economic Indicators

GDP, quarterly growth rate (%)

3.0 

1.5 

0.0 

-1.5 

-3.0 

-4.5 
Q2-2006 

Q2-2008 

Q2-2010 

Q2-2012 

Q2-2014 

EU-28 

Japan 

United States 

Source: Eurostat (online data code: namq_gdp_k)  

Labour cost index, quarterly growth rate (%)

2.5 
2.0 
1.5 
1.0 
0.5 
0.0 
-0.5 
-1.0 
Q2-2006 

Q2-2008 

EU-28 

Q2-2010 

Q2-2012 

Q2-2014 

Euro area (EA-18) 

Source: Eurostat (online data code: lc_lci_r2_q)

Trade of goods and services, quarterly growth rate, EU-28 (%)

5.0 
2.5 
0.0 
-2.5 
-5.0 
-7.5 
-10.0 

Q2-2006 

Q2-2010 

Q2-2008 
Exports of goods 
Exports of services 

Q2-2012 
Imports of goods 
Imports of services 

Q2-2014 

Inflation, annual rate of change, EU (%)

-4 

-2 

0 

2 

4 

6 

8 

All-items HICP 
Alcoholic bev. & tobacco (1) 
Education 
Housing 
Restaurants & hotels 
Food & non-alcoholic bev. 
Recreation & culture 
Household equipment 
Transport 
Clothing & footwear 
Energy (1)(2)  
Health 
Communications 
Miscellaneous 

September 2013 

September 2014 (3)

(¹) Definition differs for alcoholic beverages (September 2014) and energy (both periods). (²) Estimates for 
energy (both periods). (³) September 2014 data are all provisional.
Source: Eurostat (online data code: prc_hicp_manr)

Inflation, annual rate of change, all-items indices, 
September 2014 (%)

-1.5 

-1.0 

-0.5 

0.0 

0.5 

1.0 

1.5 

2.0 

2.5 

EU (1)
Euro area (1)
Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Denmark
Germany
Estonia
Ireland
Greece
Spain
France
Croatia (2)
Italy
Cyprus
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Hungary
Malta
Netherlands
Austria (1)
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovenia
Slovakia
Finland
Sweden
United Kingdom
Iceland
Norway
Switzerland

Source: Eurostat (online data code: namq_exi_k)

(¹) Provisional data. (²) Definition differs.
Source: Eurostat (online data code: prc_hicp_manr)

Economy and public finance

GDP in current prices

GDP growth in volume

Government surplus (+) / 
deficit (–)

Government debt

(EUR /
inhabitant) 
(1)(2)

(EUR 1 000 
million)

2013

 25 700 
 28 600 
 34 500 
 5 500 
 14 200 
 44 400 
 33 300 
 13 900 
 35 600 
 17 400 
 22 300 
 31 300 
 10 100 
 25 600 
 19 000 
 11 600 
 11 700 
 83 400 
 9 900 
 17 200 
 35 900 
 37 000 
 10 100 
 15 800 
 7 100 
 17 100 
 13 300 
 35 600 
 43 800 
 29 600 
 34 000 
 75 900 
 61 100 

13 069
9 603
383
40
149
249
2 738
19
164
182
1 023
2 060
43
1 560
17
23
35
45
98
7
603
313
390
166
142
35
72
193
421
1 899
11
386
490

nama_gdp_c

EU-28
Euro area (EA-18)
Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Denmark
Germany
Estonia
Ireland
Greece
Spain
France
Croatia
Italy
Cyprus
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Hungary
Malta
Netherlands
Austria
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovenia
Slovakia
Finland
Sweden
United Kingdom
Iceland
Norway
Switzerland
Online data code: 

(1) Break in series for Latvia. (2) Greece: 2012. 
Source: Eurostat

Quarterly growth rate (%)

(% of GDP)

(% of GDP)

Q4-2013
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.3
1.5
– 0.3
0.4
0.6
:
:
0.2
0.2
– 0.3
0.1
– 0.7
0.7
1.2
1.0
0.7
0.8
1.0
0.4
0.7
:
:
1.2
0.6
– 0.2
1.6
0.7
:
– 0.2
:

Q1-2014
0.3
0.2
0.4
0.3
0.8
0.6
0.8
0.3
:
:
0.4
0.0
0.0
– 0.1
– 0.6
0.6
0.7
0.8
1.1
1.1
– 1.4
0.1
1.1
:
:
– 0.3
0.7
– 0.4
– 0.1
0.8
:
0.2
:

teina011

Q2-2014
0.2
0.0
0.1
0.5
0.0
– 0.3
:
1.0
:
:
0.6
0.0
:
– 0.2
– 0.3
:
0.8
:
0.8
1.3
:
0.2
0.6
:
:
:
0.6
:
0.2
0.8
:
0.9
:

Q2-2014
Q1-2014
– 2.6
– 3.8
– 1.9
– 4.1
0.8
– 9.1
0.5
– 0.2
– 0.5
– 2.5
0.7
– 2.7
2.3
0.2
1.6
– 2.5
– 3.8
– 7.0
:
:
:
:
– 3.0
– 8.1
– 5.6
– 10.9
– 1.1
– 6.7
:
:
2.1
4.2
– 2.0
– 2.4
3.4
– 5.3
:
:
– 2.9
– 7.1
– 4.5
– 1.3
– 1.6
– 6.6
:
:
– 7.4
– 5.7
– 0.9
– 1.0
– 4.5
– 6.6
:
:
2.3
– 2.3
0.8
– 2.0
– 7.3
– 3.4
:
:
:
:
0.2
0.0
gov_10q_ggnfa

Q1-2014
86.0
91.9
108.5
19.7
45.2
45.0
75.6
10.5
121.9
:
:
94.1
76.6
130.7
:
38.7
39.9
23.2
:
72.3
68.1
81.3
:
131.6
39.1
77.1
:
57.5
38.2
87.8
:
:
:

Q2-2014
87.0
92.7
108.7
20.5
44.2
45.3
75.4
10.5
116.7
:
:
95.2
77.0
133.8
:
41.1
38.7
23.1
:
75.0
69.6
82.5
:
129.4
38.5
78.3
:
58.9
38.8
88.4
:
:
:
gov_10q_ggdebt

Population, living conditions and education

Total  
(million)

Population

Share of age  
group (%)

< 15 

 65 +

1.1.2013

Fertility  
rate  
(children / 
woman) (1)

Life expectancy at 
 birth (years) (2)

At-risk-of poverty  
rate (%) (3)(4)

Educational  
attainment (%) (5)

Early leavers from  
education and  
training (%) (6)(7)
Female

Male

Female Male

Female Male
2013

EU-28
10.2
13.6
11.0
14.8
Euro area (EA-18)
Belgium
8.7
13.2
12.7
12.3
Bulgaria
5.5
5.4
Czech Republic
6.2
9.9
Denmark
9.3
10.4
Germany
5.8
13.6
Estonia
6.9
9.8
Ireland
7.5
12.7
Greece
Spain
19.8
27.2
8.7
10.7
France
3.4
5.5
Croatia
13.7
20.2
Italy
4.2
14.8
Cyprus
5.8
13.6
Latvia
4.7
7.8
Lithuania
3.7
8.4
Luxembourg
11.1
12.5
Hungary
18.4
23.2
Malta
7.4
10.9
Netherlands
7.0
7.7
Austria
3.2
7.9
Poland
14.3
23.4
Portugal
16.0
18.6
Romania
2.6
5.0
Slovenia
6.1
6.7
Slovakia
8.3
10.4
Finland
6.2
7.9
Sweden
11.2
13.7
United Kingdom
16.4
24.4
Iceland
11.6
15.7
Norway
5.6
5.2
Switzerland
edat_lfse_14
Online data code: 
(¹) Break in series for EU-28, Euro area (18 countries), Luxembourg, Hungary. (²) Break in series for EU-28, Hungary. (³) Break in series for Spain. (⁴) Ireland: 2012. (⁵) Those aged 15-64, upper secondary, post-secondary non-
tertiary, first and second stage of tertiary education (levels 3-6). (⁶) Break in series for France. (⁷) Low reliability of data for Croatia (males and females), Lithuania, Luxembourg and Slovenia (females).
Source: Eurostat

72.2
72.0
68.9
68.0
71.0
68.2
78.1
77.7
85.6
88.6
71.8
69.2
80.6
83.4
87.4
80.8
75.4
70.1
67.1
63.8
56.8
52.0
71.7
72.5
75.2
80.0
58.3
54.8
75.0
74.1
87.0
79.5
87.2
83.9
73.3
74.3
75.8
79.0
44.9
45.4
70.6
71.5
74.8
81.3
84.6
83.2
44.7
36.3
69.4
74.4
80.9
82.1
84.0
86.5
81.4
77.0
78.0
76.2
77.7
79.0
64.4
65.2
77.2
75.5
82.9
79.2
edat_lfse_08

1.58
1.55
1.79
1.50
1.45
1.73
1.38
1.56
2.01
1.34
1.32
2.01
1.51
1.43
1.39
1.44
1.60
1.57
1.34
1.43
1.72
1.44
1.30
1.28
1.53
1.58
1.34
1.80
1.91
1.92
2.04
1.85
1.52
tsdde220

Female Male
2012
83.1
84.1
83.1
77.9
81.2
82.1
83.3
81.5
83.2
83.4
85.5
85.4
80.6
84.8
83.4
78.9
79.6
83.8
78.7
83.0
83.0
83.6
81.1
83.6
78.1
83.3
79.9
83.7
83.6
82.8
84.3
83.5
84.9

1.1.2014
507.42
334.57
11.20
7.25
10.51
5.63
80.78
1.32
4.60
10.99
46.51
63.93
4.25
60.78
0.86
2.00
2.94
0.55
9.88
0.43
16.83
8.51
38.50
10.43
19.94
2.06
5.42
5.45
9.64
64.31
0.33
5.11
8.14
tps00001

15.6
15.3
17.0
13.6
14.8
17.4
13.1
15.7
21.9
14.7
15.2
18.4
14.9
14.0
16.4
14.4
14.7
17.0
14.4
14.6
17.2
14.4
15.0
14.8
15.7
14.5
15.4
16.4
16.9
17.6
20.7
18.4
14.9

77.5
78.7
77.8
70.9
75.1
78.1
78.6
71.4
78.7
78.0
79.5
78.7
73.9
79.8
78.9
68.9
68.4
79.1
71.6
78.6
79.3
78.4
72.7
77.3
71.0
77.1
72.5
77.7
79.9
79.1
81.6
79.5
80.6

18.2
19.0
17.6
19.2
16.8
17.9
20.7
18.0
12.2
20.1
17.7
17.7
18.1
21.2
13.2
18.8
18.2
14.0
17.2
17.2
16.8
18.1
14.2
19.4
16.3
17.1
13.1
18.8
19.1
17.2
12.9
15.7
17.4

16.1
16.0
14.6
19.7
7.7
12.6
15.0
17.2
15.6
22.4
20.9
13.0
18.8
18.1
14.1
18.9
19.4
15.7
14.6
15.4
10.2
13.5
17.3
18.8
22.3
13.5
12.8
11.3
13.4
15.4
9.6
10.2
13.4

17.2
17.3
15.5
22.2
9.4
12.1
17.2
19.9
15.9
23.8
19.9
14.3
20.3
20.1
16.5
19.8
21.6
16.0
14.0
16.1
10.6
15.2
17.3
18.6
22.5
15.4
12.9
12.3
16.1
16.4
8.9
11.7
15.5

tps00025

tps00010

ilc_li02

Employment and unemployment

Employment

Employment rate, aged 20–64
(% of population) (1)

(1 000)

Male

Female

Total

Unemployment rate
(% of the labour force)
Youth, aged 15–24

Long-term

Q1-2014 Q2-2014 Q1-2014 Q2-2014 Q1-2014 Q2-2014 Q1-2014 Q2-2014 Q1-2014 Q2-2014 Q1-2014 Q2-2014
222 470  224 850 
145 054  146 610 
4 529 
3 526 
5 137
2 786 
: 
614 
:
3 919 
17 430 
27 015 
:
: 
354 
: 
1 308 
:
4 251 
181 
: 
4 263 
15 661
: 
8 996 
:
2 219 
:
4 682 
: 
: 
2 743 
: 

4 519 
3 302 
5 093
2 745 
41 738
600 
1 889 
3 874 
17 177 
26 907 
:
23 913 
346 
876 
1 295 
390 
4 086
182 
8 488 
4 199 
15 462 
4 520 
9 059 
910 
2 205 
2 422 
4 685 
30 341 
: 
2 737
: 
lfsi_grt_q

22.7
23.7
24.2
26.2
16.8
13.4
7.9
17.3
26.2
56.3
54.1
23.8
44.9
42.6
37.7
20.7
21.0
15.9
21.2
13.3
11.3
9.9
25.5
36.3
24.8
22.0
31.6
20.1
23.3
18.8
10.8
8.1
:

22.0
23.5
23.4
24.3
16.4
12.6
7.9
17.3
25.1
52.2
53.2
23.7
43.4
43.4
37.0
21.6
21.7
15.7
20.8
12.5
10.7
9.4
23.9
37.2
24.3
19.1
30.5
20.0
23.2
16.8
8.8
7.7
:

63.5
62.8
63.2
61.9
64.3
72.1
73.1
69.4
61.0
44.2
54.8
66.5
54.2
50.1
64.3
69.6
70.5
65.1
60.0
51.0
70.5
72.0
59.0
64.1
57.7
64.6
58.4
73.1
77.9
70.5
81.1
77.6
77.6

75.0
73.9
71.6
68.0
82.1
79.7
81.8
79.0
72.5
62.7
64.9
73.8
64.6
69.8
71.7
72.7
72.2
79.1
73.3
80.0
81.2
80.5
73.3
71.5
74.2
72.1
72.9
74.9
82.4
81.9
88.8
82.3
87.0

62.8
62.1
62.2
59.9
64.0
70.7
72.3
68.7
60.5
43.4
53.9
66.0
51.8
49.8
62.0
69.1
69.2
66.5
59.3
50.1
70.2
70.5
58.5
63.4
56.1
63.0
58.3
71.2
76.6
70.2
78.2
76.6
76.3

74.0
72.9
71.7
66.1
81.2
78.0
81.3
76.2
71.7
61.9
63.1
73.0
62.5
68.8
70.9
71.8
71.5
76.5
72.5
79.9
80.8
78.7
71.8
69.8
72.2
69.7
71.8
72.8
81.0
81.3
84.6
81.4
86.5

10.5
11.7
8.4
12.2
6.6
6.8
5.1
7.9
12.0
27.2
25.2
10.1
17.4
12.6
15.8
11.4
11.6
6.0
8.0
6.0
7.2
5.0
9.8
14.9
7.0
10.1
13.8
8.4
8.1
6.7
5.4
3.4
:

10.3
11.6
8.5
11.5
6.2
6.5
5.1
7.6
11.7
26.9
24.7
10.2
16.9
12.5
15.9
10.8
11.4
6.1
8.0
5.9
7.0
5.0
9.2
14.4
6.9
9.5
13.4
8.6
8.0
6.3
5.0
3.3
:

5.3
6.3
4.1
7.6
2.8
2.1
2.4
3.8
7.4
19.9
13.6
4.4
10.2
8.0
7.5
5.2
5.2
1.4
4.1
2.8
2.8
1.4
4.7
8.7
2.8
5.7
10.2
1.9
1.5
2.5
:
0.7
:

5.1
6.1
4.1
6.6
2.6
1.5
2.3
3.5
7.0
19.9
12.9
4.3
9.6
7.7
7.8
4.3
5.0
1.9
3.9
2.7
2.8
1.3
3.9
8.8
2.9
5.3
9.4
1.9
1.5
2.3
:
0.8
:

lfsi_emp_q

une_rt_q

une_ltu_q

EU-28
Euro area (EA-18)
Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Denmark
Germany
Estonia
Ireland
Greece
Spain
France
Croatia
Italy
Cyprus
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Hungary
Malta
Netherlands
Austria
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovenia
Slovakia
Finland
Sweden
United Kingdom
Iceland
Norway
Switzerland
Online data code: 
(1) Break in series for Romania in Q1-2014.
Source: Eurostat

General information
Coverage
This  short  guide  shows  information  for  the  EU,  the  euro  area,  the 
EU Member States and three EFTA countries. The euro area (EA-18) 
is composed of: Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, 
France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, 
Austria,  Portugal,  Slovenia,  Slovakia  and  Finland.  The  EU-28 
includes the EA-18 countries and also: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, 
Denmark,  Croatia,  Lithuania,  Hungary,  Poland,  Romania,  Sweden 
and  the  United  Kingdom.  The  three  EFTA  countries  covered  are: 
Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.
For the EU, the information presented in this short guide is generally 
based on data for the EU-28 and EA-18 aggregates (when available). 
However,  the  data  for  inflation  is  based  on  moving  aggregates  that 
reflect the membership of the EU and euro area over time (coded EU 
and Euro area in the graphs).
Quarterly  growth  rates  are  expressed  in  relation  to  the  previous 
quarter.  Quarterly  rates  are  generally  calculated  using  seasonally 
adjusted  data,  although  rates  for  the  government  surplus,  deficit 
and debt and long-term unemployment are based on non seasonally 
adjusted  data.  Furthermore,  annual  rates  of  change  for  inflation  are 
also based on non seasonally adjusted data.

Symbols and abbreviations
: not available

Figures in italics are estimates, provisional or forecast 

Extraction date
Data were extracted on 4 November 2014.
The next edition (extraction planned: 31 January 2015) will be issued 
in February 2015.
The most recent data is available at
http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database

Data codes
The Eurostat online data code, which is given at the bottom of each 
column  of  data  in  the  tables  and  as  part  of  the  source  for  figures, 
provides users with a quick and efficient way of accessing the most 
up-to-date  statistics.  When  used  through  the  ‘search’  facility  of 
Eurostat’s website, each data code directs users to the corresponding 
dataset offering the freshest data and longer time-series.

Eurostat, the statistical office  
of the European Union
Eurostat’s  mission  is  to  be  the  leading  provider  of  high  quality 
statistics  on  Europe.  Eurostat  publishes  official,  harmonised 
statistics  on  the  European  Union  (EU)  and  the  euro  area  which 
offer  an  objective  portrayal  of  social  and  economic  trends. These 
statistics  are  available  for  EU  Member  States,  and  are  sometimes 
broken  down  by  region.  Furthermore,  some  of  the  indicators  are 
published for candidate countries and other non-member countries.
Eurostat collects data from national statistical institutes; the statistics 
are harmonised according to Europe-wide methodologies. Data are, 
therefore, genuinely comparable across the whole of the EU.

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Website
Eurostat’s  website:  http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat  provides  free 
access to EU statistics, and is also available in German and French.
Statistics Explained is a wiki-based system that presents statistical 
topics in an easy to understand way. Together, the articles make up 
an encyclopaedia of European statistics. There one can also access 
online publications Eurostat yearbook, Regional yearbook, The EU in 
the world, Statistics in focus and other publications.
Eurostat releases a range of publications, all of which are free of 
charge on its website in PDF format; some of these 
are  also  available  in  German  and  French.  Among 
these,  the  pocketbook  Key  figures  on  Europe  2013 
provides  a  comprehensive  set  of  information 
introducing readers to most statistical themes that 
are covered by Eurostat.

Contact details
Eurostat
5, rue Alphonse Weicker
L-2721 Luxembourg
LUXEMBOURG
E-mail: estat-user-support@ec.europa.eu
More information: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat

ISSN 1831-9556
©  European Union 2014
Cover: © fotolia