Section III. Prospects for the European Union

Extract

The outcome for growth in the Euro Area in the first quarter of 2002 was slightly weaker than our April projections. Output rose by 0.3 per cent relative to the previous quarter, following a decline of the same magnitude in the final quarter of last year. The recovery stemmed primarily from a sharp drop in imports of 0.8 per cent, rather than a pickup in domestic or external demand. The weaker outcome for the first quarter, coupled with recent developments in financial markets, dampens the outlook for the year as a whole. Industrial production rose by 0.8 per cent in March, but declined by 0.7 per cent in April and edged up by only 0.1 per cent in May, supporting our expectation that recovery will be gradual. We forecast growth of 1¼ per cent in the Euro Area this year, but anticipate a stronger improvement next year helped by a recovery of domestic demand. This will be supported by tax cuts in several countries, despite the fact that the Euro Area's three largest economies appear unlikely to meet their Stability Pact pledge of achieving a budget at or close to balance by 2004. We expect output in the Euro Area to grow by about 2½ per cent next year, and by about 2½ -2¾ per cent per annum throughout the medium-term.