Euro area (EA12) GDP grew by 0.5% and EU25 GDP by 0.6% in the third quarter of 2006 according to revised estimates from Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities. In the second quarter of 2006, growth rates were +1.0% in both zones.
In comparison with the same quarter of the previous year, seasonally adjusted GDP in the third quarter of 2006 grew by 2.7% in the euro area and by 3.0% in the EU25, after +2.9% and +3.0% respectively in the previous quarter.
In the third quarter of 2006 and among the Member States for which seasonally adjusted GDP data are available, Latvia (+3.5%) recorded the highest growth rate, followed by Estonia (+2.8%), Slovakia (+2.7%) and Ireland (+2.6%).

Growth in household consumption accelerates
In the third quarter of 2006, household final consumption expenditure grew by 0.7% in the euro area and by 0.6% in the EU25 (after +0.3% and +0.5% in the previous quarter). Investment grew by 0.6% in the euro area and by 0.9% in the EU25 (after +2.3% and +1.9%). Exports rose by 1.8% in the euro area and remained unchanged in the EU25 (after +1.1% and +1.5%). Imports increased by 2.4% in the euro area and by 0.4% in the EU25 (after +1.1% and +1.6%).
Among the Member States for which seasonally adjusted expenditure data are available, growth rates of household final consumption ranged from -1.2% in Denmark to +4.3% in Latvia. Growth of gross fixed capital formation varied between -4.9% in Portugal and +4.8% in Poland. Exports grew most strongly in Slovakia (+11.6%) while the United Kingdom (-12.2%) recorded the strongest decrease. Imports rose the most in Latvia (+8.7%) while they fell the most in the United Kingdom (-10.9%).

US GDP up by 0.5%, Japanese GDP up by 0.2%
Among the main partners of the EU, GDP grew by 0.5% in the US in the third quarter of 2006 (after +0.6% in the second quarter of 2006). In Japan GDP grew by 0.2% in the third quarter of 2006 (+0.3% in the previous quarter).
Compared to the third quarter of 2005, GDP rose by 3.0% in the US (+3.5% in the previous quarter) and by 1.7% in Japan (+2.2% in the previous quarter).