BRUSSELS, Belgium / EuroWire.IO / – Seasonally adjusted GDP rose by 0.5% in the European Union and by 0.4% in the euro area in the third quarter of 2026 compared with the previous quarter, according to a flash estimate published by Eurostat on November 13. The figures confirm the preliminary estimate released on October 30. Growth slowed from the second quarter, when GDP rose by 0.7% in the EU and 0.6% in the euro area.
Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, seasonally adjusted GDP increased by 1.5% in the EU and by 1.3% in the euro area. That marked a slight pick-up from the second quarter, when annual growth stood at 1.4% in the EU and 1.2% in the euro area. The EU statistical office’s first flash estimate for the third quarter had shown the same quarterly growth rates.
The number of employed persons remained stable in both the euro area and the EU in the third quarter compared with the previous quarter. Employment had increased by 0.1% in both areas in the second quarter. Compared with the same quarter of 2025, employment rose by 0.4% in both the euro area and the EU. In the second quarter, annual employment growth was 0.5% in the euro area and 0.4% in the EU.
Output grows while jobs hold steady
With GDP rising and the number of people in work unchanged, output per employed person increased during the quarter. The flat employment reading follows a period of steady job gains across the bloc. Euro area unemployment stayed at 6.4% in August, close to record lows. The labour market has remained resilient despite slower growth and higher borrowing costs this year. Productivity gains can support wages and profits even when hiring slows.
The European Central Bank raised its key interest rates twice this year, in June and September, taking the deposit facility rate to 2.50%. Higher rates are aimed at curbing inflation but can weigh on investment and hiring. The euro area has 21 members following Bulgaria’s adoption of the euro in January 2026. The EU has 27 member states, with Eurostat publishing estimates for both groups.
US economy outpaces Europe
Eurostat also compared European growth with the United States. US GDP rose by 0.8% in the third quarter compared with the previous quarter, after an increase of 0.6% in the second quarter. Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, US GDP grew by 2.1%, after 2.2% in the second quarter. The US economy therefore grew faster than both the EU and the euro area. The difference in annual growth was 0.6 percentage points compared with the EU.
The flash estimates are based on incomplete data and may be revised. Eurostat is due to publish more detailed GDP and employment figures for the third quarter on December 7, with a further update on January 19, 2027. Those releases will include breakdowns by member state and by component of GDP, such as household consumption, investment and trade. They will also show employment trends by country.