Mortgage rates '9% higher Eurozone'

(ANSA) - Venice, August 5 - Italian banks' interest rates on mortgages remain about 9% higher that the Eurozone's average although they have recently been declining, according to a report released on Wednesday by the Mestre-based association of artisans and small businessmen, CGIA.
    Among eurozone countries, only the Netherlands recorded higher interest rates than Italy, the association said.
    The average rate on new real estate purchases in June this year through a family mortgage was 2.20% compared to the 2.02% of the single-currency area, according to CGIA.
    Nevertheless, the association noted that the gap between Italy and the rest of Europe has been shrinking over the past years, down from the 20.7% gap registered in 2012.
    The gap rose to 22.4% the following year, subsequently declining to 13.2% in 2014.
    In June, the difference recorded was 8.9%.