Data extracted on 20 January 2025

Planned article update: 20 April 2026

Quarterly national accounts - GDP and employment

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Data extracted on 20 January 2025

Planned article update: 20 April 2026

Highlights

GDP up by 0.3% and employment up by 0.2% in the euro area in Q3 2025.

GDP up by 0.4% and employment up by 0.1% in the EU in Q3 2025.

Vertical bar chart showing percentage change over the previous quarter based on seasonally adjusted data of GDP and employment growth rates in the euro area, EU, and individual EU Member States. Each country has two columns representing GDP and employment for Q2 2025. For more details please use the link to the source dataset code below the image.
GDP and employment growth rates
Source: Eurostat (namq_10_gdp) and (namq_10_a10_e)

This article presents key messages and data extractions based on Eurostat's updated estimation of quarterly gross domestic product (GDP) for Q3 2025 in the European Union (EU) and euro area (EA-20) released on 20 January 2025. This completes a sequence of quarterly estimates of European main national accounts aggregates (including employment) that are based on available country data (see previous news releases).

Compared with the previous release on 5 December 2025, the growth rates remained unchanged for both the euro area and the EU.

Please note that particular developments in GDP that are observed for the euro area and the EU are often related to the activities of MNEs in the Irish economy.

Quarterly GDP growth

GDP up by 0.3% in the euro area and up by 0.4% the EU

According to an estimate (see Data sources below) published by Eurostat, seasonally adjusted GDP increased by 0.3% in the euro area (EA-20) and by 0.4% in the EU in Q3 2025, compared with the previous quarter. In the Q2 2025, GDP had increased by 0.1% in the euro area and by 0.3% in the EU.

Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, seasonally adjusted GDP increased by 1.4% in the euro area and by 1.6% in the EU in Q3 2025, after an increase of 1.5% in the euro area and 1.7% in the EU in the previous quarter.

During Q3 2025, GDP in the United States increased by 1.1% compared with the previous quarter (after +0.9% in the Q2 2025). Compared with the same quarter in the previous year, GDP grew by 2.3% (after +2.1% in the previous quarter).


Table showing percentage change growth rates of GDP in volume based on seasonally adjusted data in the euro area, EU, individual EU Member States, some EFTA countries, Japan and United States from Q4 2024 to Q3 2025. For more details please use the link to the source dataset code below the image.
Table 1: Growth rates of GDP in volume
Source: Eurostat (namq_10_gdp) and (naidq_10_gdp) for Japan and US data


GDP growth by EU country

Within the EU, the highest increases of GDP were recorded in Denmark (+2.2%), Luxembourg and Sweden (both +1.1%) in Q3 2025, while decreases were observed in Finland, Ireland (both -0.3%), Romania (-0.2%) and Lithuania (-0.1%).

Vertical bar chart showing percentage change over the previous quarter based on seasonally adjusted data of GDP growth rates in the euro area, EU and individual EU Member States for Q3 2025. For more details please use the link to the source dataset code below the image.
Figure 1: GDP growth rates
Source: Eurostat (namq_10_gdp)


GDP components and contributions to growth

GDP components evolved in Q3 2025 as follows

  • household final consumption expenditure increased by 0.1% in the euro area and by 0.2% in the EU (after +0.3% in the euro area and +0.4% in the EU in the previous quarter)
  • government final consumption expenditure increased by 0.7% in both the euro area and the EU (after +0.4% in the euro area and +0.5% in the EU)
  • gross fixed capital formation increased by 1.0% in the euro area and by 1.1% in the EU (after -1.7% in the euro area and -1.4% in the EU)
  • exports increased by 0.8% in the euro area and by 1.0% in the EU (after -0.4% in the euro area and 0.0% in the EU) and
  • imports increased by 1.4% in both areas (after 0.0% in the euro area and +0.3% in the EU).

The contribution to GDP growth from

  • household final consumption expenditure was positive for both the euro area and the EU (+0.1 percentage points (pp) for both)
  • government final expenditure was positive for both zones (both +0.2 pp)
  • gross fixed capital formation was positive for both the euro area and the EU (both +0.2 pp)
  • changes in inventories was positive for the euro area (+0.1 pp) and negligible in the EU, and
  • exports less imports was negative for both the euro area and the EU (-0.3 pp and -0.2 pp respectively).
Two separate stacked vertical bar charts showing percentage points contributions to growth over the previous quarter of decomposition of GDP growth by expenditure aggregates. One chart represents the euro area and the other, the EU. Four columns in each chart represent the quarters Q3 2024 to Q2 2025. Each column contains five stacks representing different expenditure aggregates. A line across all columns represents the GDP growth rate. For more details please use the link to the source dataset code below the image.
Figure 2: Decomposition of GDP growth by expenditure aggregates
Source: Eurostat (namq_10_gdp)

Quarterly employment growth

Number of employed persons up by 0.2% in the euro area and up by 0.1% in the EU

The number of persons employed increased by 0.2% in the euro area and by 0.1% the EU in Q3 2025 compared with the previous quarter. In the Q2 2025, employment had increased by 0.1% in both zones. Hours worked also increased by 0.4% in both the euro area and the EU (after 0.1% in both areas in the Q2 2025).

Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, employment based on persons increased by 0.6% in the euro area and by 0.5% in the EU in Q3 2025 (after +0.7% in the euro area and +0.5% in the EU in the Q2 2025).

The number of hours worked grew by 0.7% in both the euro area and the EU in Q3 2025, compared with the same quarter of the previous year (after -0.3% in the euro area and -0.5% in the EU in the Q2 2025).

These data on employment provide a picture of labour input consistent with the output and income measure of national accounts.

Table showing percentage growth rates of employment in persons in the euro area, EU, individual EU Member States and some EFTA countries from Q4 2024 to Q3 2025. For more details please use the link to the source dataset code below the image.
Table 2: Growth rates of employment in persons (¹)
Source: Eurostat (namq_10_a10_e)


Table showing percentage growth rates of employment in hours worked in the euro area, EU, individual EU Member States and some EFTA countries from Q4 2024 to Q3 2025. For more details please use the link to the source dataset code below the image.
Table 3: Growth rates of employment in hours worked(¹)
­Source: Eurostat (namq_10_a10_e)


Line chart showing percentage change over the previous quarter based on seasonally adjusted data of growth of employment. Four lines represent persons in the euro area, persons in the EU, hours worked in the euro area and hours worked in the EU over the period Q1 2019 to Q3 2025. For more details please use the link to the source dataset code below the image.
Figure 3: Growth of employment in persons and hours worked
Source: Eurostat (namq_10_a10_e)



Employment growth by EU country

Among EU countries, the highest increases in employment in persons were observed in Croatia (+1.6%), Portugal (+0.9%) and Spain (+0.7%). Romania (-1.2%), Austria and Finland (both -0.3%) recorded the strongest declines in Q3 2025 compared with the previous quarter.

Portugal (+1.7%), Slovenia (+1.6%), Czechia and Estonia (both +1.2%) display the highest increases in employment measured in hours worked. Greece (-1.5%), Luxembourg (-1.0%) and Romania (-0.7%) showed the steepest decreases in employment measured in hours in Q3 2025 compared to the previous quarter.

Vertical bar chart showing percentage change over the previous quarter based on seasonally adjusted data of employment growth rates in the euro area, EU and individual EU Member States. Each country has two columns representing persons and hours worked for Q3 2025. For more details please use the link to the source dataset code below the image.
Figure 4: Employment growth rates
Source: Eurostat (namq_10_a10_e)

Employment levels

Employment in persons increased by 0.3 million in both the euro area and the EU

Based on seasonally adjusted figures, Eurostat estimates that in Q3 2025, 220.6 million people were employed in the EU, of whom 172.2 million were in the euro area.

Line chart showing indexed evolution of employment based on seasonally adjusted data. Four lines represent persons in the euro area, persons in the EU, hours worked in the euro area and hours worked in the EU over the period Q1 2019 to Q2 2025. The year 2015 is indexed at 100. For more details please use the link to the source dataset code below the image.
Figure 5: Evolution of employment in persons and hours worked
Source: Eurostat (namq_10_a10_e)

Labour productivity

The combination of GDP and employment data allows an estimation of labour productivity.

In Q3 2025, productivity based on persons increased by 0.7% in the euro area and by 1.1% in the EU compared with the same quarter of the previous year.

Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, productivity based on hours worked increased by 0.6% in the euro area and by 0.9% in the EU.

Line chart showing percentage change over same quarter of the previous year based on seasonally adjusted data of labour productivity growth rates. Four lines represent persons in the euro area, persons in the EU, hours worked in the euro area and hours worked in the EU over the period Q1 2019 to Q2 2025. For more details please use the link to the source dataset code below the image.
Figure 6: Labour productivity growth rates
Source: Eurostat (namq_10_lp_ulc)

Source data for tables and graphs

Excel Quarterly national accounts - GDP and employment 2025Q3

Data sources

Eurostat collects GDP and employment data in the framework of ESA 2010. Additional information on the dissemination of ESA 2010 data is available under publications on the dedicated website and in the database section National Accounts (ESA 2010).

European aggregates are published at specific release dates. The preliminary flash estimate of GDP growth of Q4 2025 will be released on 30 January 2026 and will be updated on 13 February 2026. The next regular estimates of European aggregates are due on 6 March 2026 (for both GDP and employment estimates). Revision triangles for GDP for the euro area and the EU can be found here. These revision triangles are updated once per quarter.

For further details see the Eurostat website.


Context

Quarterly figures on the evolution of gross domestic product (GDP) and its main aggregates are among the most significant indicators of the state of any economy, be it at a national or European level and are of key interest to users. Typical users of quarterly national accounts (QNA) figures are market analysts, forecasters or economic and monetary policy advisors interested in assessing the state of the current business cycle.

The ESA 2010 distinguishes between 2 employment concepts depending on geographical coverage: resident persons in employment (i.e. the national scope of employment) and employment in resident production units irrespective of the place of residence of the employed person (i.e. domestic scope). The ESA 2010 recognises several employment measures: persons, hours worked and jobs. Eurostat publishes mainly employment data measured in persons and in hours worked.

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