Euro area GDP down by 0.6% and EU27 down by 0.5%

GDP fell by 0.6% in the euro area1 (EA17) and by 0.5% in the EU271 during the fourth quarter of 2012, compared
with the previous quarter, according to flash estimates2 published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the
European Union. In the third quarter of 2012, growth rates were -0.1% and +0.1% respectively.
Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, seasonally adjusted GDP fell by 0.9% in the euro area and
by 0.6% in the EU27 in the fourth quarter of 2012, after -0.6% and -0.4% respectively in the previous quarter.
During the fourth quarter of 2012, GDP in the United States was stable compared with the previous quarter (after
+0.8% in the third quarter of 2012). Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, GDP rose by 1.5% in the
United States (after +2.6% in the previous quarter).
Over the whole year 20123, GDP fell by 0.5% in the euro area and by 0.3% in the EU27.