Percorso:ANSA > Nuova Europa > Business > EU: Government expenditure, decreases in Greece and Croatia

EU: Government expenditure, decreases in Greece and Croatia

27.6% going to old age Italy,25.9% Bulgaria,25.1% Romania

07 July, 20:33

(ANSA) - BRUSSELS - In 2014, total general government expenditure amounted to 6,701 billion euros in the European Union (EU), with annual significant decreases registered in Greece (-10.7 pp) and Slovenia (-9.9 pp). According to Eurostat, among EU Member States, total general government expenditure represented less than 40% of GDP in six countries: Lithuania and Romania (both 34.9%), Latvia (36.9%), Estonia (38.8%), Ireland (39.0%) and Bulgaria (39.2%).

More than a quarter of total general government expenditure was devoted in 2013 to old age in Italy (27.6%), Bulgaria (25.9%), Luxembourg (25.8%), Austria (25.3%) and Romania (25.1%). 'Old age' accounted for 21.4% of total general government expenditure in the EU, and for 22.0% in the euro area. The group 'sickness and disability' represented a notable share in the Netherlands (10.1% of total general government expenditure in 2013), Croatia (9.5%) and Denmark (9.0%).

Expenditure related to health came second in eleven EU Member States: Slovakia (health accounted for 18.3% of total general government expenditure in 2013), the Netherlands (17.7%), the Czech Republic and Ireland (both 17.4%), the United Kingdom (16.7%), Lithuania (15.9%), Germany (15.8%), Austria (15.6%), Denmark (15.3%), Finland (14.5%) and France (14.2%).

Economic affairs expenditure made up the second largest share of general government expenditure in Greece (25.5%) and Slovenia (24.2%) mainly driven by one-off support to financial institutions, as well as in Romania (17.5%) and Bulgaria (13.2%), while it was education in Latvia (15.7%), Estonia (15.4%) and Luxembourg (12.7%). The share of 'public order and safety' expenditure in total government expenditure was higher in Slovakia (8.0%), Bulgaria (7.0%) and Romania (6.3%) than in other EU Member States, while for 'defence' the United Kingdom (5.0%), Estonia (4.7%), Poland (3.9%), Cyprus (3.8%) and Greece (3.6%) registered the highest proportions. (ANSA)

© Copyright ANSA - All rights reserved