Weekly data report
EU Economic Snapshot — April 2026
Fourteen EU economies tracked across four key indicators: GDP, inflation (HICP), unemployment, and population. This report covers the most recent data available as of mid-April 2026.
Section 01 · GDP
Growth diverges sharply
Based on Q4 2024 national accounts (chain-linked volumes, 2010 prices). The gap between EU growth leaders and laggards has widened: Ireland, Denmark, Poland, and Spain posted the strongest year-on-year expansions while Germany remained the only economy in contraction.
Fastest growing · YoY
- Ireland+11.9%
- Denmark+4.2%
- Poland+3.9%
- Spain+3.7%
Slowest / contracting · YoY
- Germany-0.2%
- Austria+0.3%
- Italy+0.4%
- France+0.7%
| Country | Q4 2024 (EUR m) | QoQ | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 764,056 | +0.2% | -0.2% |
| France | 588,314 | 0.0% | +0.7% |
| Italy | 430,853 | +0.1% | +0.4% |
| Spain | 324,467 | +0.8% | +3.7% |
| Netherlands | 201,092 | +0.4% | +2.2% |
| Poland | 146,259 | +1.4% | +3.9% |
| Sweden | 119,240 | +1.0% | +2.4% |
| Belgium | 111,610 | +0.1% | +0.9% |
| Ireland | 105,029 | +3.8% | +11.9% |
| Austria | 86,507 | +0.5% | +0.3% |
| Denmark | 78,977 | +1.2% | +4.2% |
| Portugal | 52,897 | +1.2% | +2.6% |
| Czechia | 51,438 | +0.8% | +2.0% |
| Finland | 51,084 | -0.3% | +1.4% |
Ireland's +11.9% YoY figure reflects multinational accounting effects common in Irish GDP data. Excluding Ireland, the strongest real economy performer is Denmark at +4.2%.
Section 02 · Inflation
Austria runs hot, France cools
Year-on-year change in the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP, 2015 = 100) as of December 2025. Most countries hover near the ECB's 2% target, but Austria (3.8%) and Spain (3.0%) remain elevated while France (0.7%) is the coolest in the sample.
Bars in amber indicate inflation above 2.5%. The ECB's medium-term target is 2.0%.
Section 03 · Unemployment
Tight markets in Central Europe
Seasonally adjusted rates for February 2026. Czechia and Poland share the lowest rate at 3.2%, reflecting persistently tight Central European labour markets. Finland (10.6%) and Spain (9.8%) sit at the opposite end.
Section 04 · Population
Ireland and Spain lead growth
January 2025 estimates. Total tracked population across 14 countries: 385,469,559. Ireland (+1.66%) and Spain (+1.05%) saw the strongest growth, driven by net migration. Italy (−0.05%) and Poland (−0.34%) are the only countries recording declines.
| Country | Population | YoY change |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 83,577,140 | +0.1% |
| France | 68,882,600 | +0.3% |
| Italy | 58,943,464 | -0.1% |
| Spain | 49,128,297 | +1.1% |
| Poland | 36,497,495 | -0.3% |
| Netherlands | 18,044,027 | +0.6% |
| Belgium | 11,883,495 | +0.6% |
| Czechia | 10,909,500 | +0.1% |
| Portugal | 10,749,635 | +1.0% |
| Sweden | 10,587,710 | +0.3% |
| Austria | 9,197,213 | +0.4% |
| Denmark | 5,992,734 | +0.5% |
| Finland | 5,635,971 | +0.6% |
| Ireland | 5,440,278 | +1.7% |
Summary
Key takeaways
Four signals from this snapshot
- Growth is uneven. Germany contracted YoY while Spain, Poland, and Denmark grew 3–4%. The two-speed EU economy narrative is backed by the data.
- Inflation is converging — mostly. Ten of 14 countries are within 1.7–2.7%, close to the ECB target. Austria at 3.8% is the outlier to watch.
- Labour markets are splitting. Central Europe (Czechia, Poland) runs near full employment while the Nordic/Southern periphery (Finland, Spain) sees rates nearing double digits.
- Population shifts continue. Migration-driven growth in Ireland and Spain contrasts with demographic decline in Poland and stagnation in Italy.
Methodology
How this report is built
All data sourced from Eurostat via the Aethar Eurostat API. GDP: chain-linked volumes (CLV10_MEUR), quarterly. Inflation: HICP all-items index (2015 = 100), monthly. Unemployment: seasonally adjusted rates, monthly. Population: annual estimates on 1 January.