In 2009, the government deficit and government debt1 of both the euro area (EA16) and the EU27 increased compared with 2008, while GDP fell. In the euro area the government deficit to GDP ratio increased from 2.0% in 2008 to 6.3% in 2009, and in the EU27 from 2.3% to 6.8%. In the euro area the government debt to GDP ratio increased from 69.8% at the end of 2008 to 79.2% at the end of 2009, and in the EU27 from 61.8% to 74.0%.

In 2009 the largest government deficits in percentage of GDP were recorded in Greece (-15.4%), Ireland (-14.4%), the United Kingdom (-11.4%), Spain (-11.1%), Latvia (-10.2%), Portugal (-9.3%), Lithuania (-9.2%), Romania (-8.6%), Slovakia (-7.9%), France (-7.5%) and Poland (-7.2%). No Member State registered a government surplus in 2009. The lowest deficits were recorded in Luxembourg (-0.7%), Sweden (-0.9%) and Estonia (-1.7%). In all, 25 Member States recorded a worsening in their government deficit relative to GDP in 2009 compared with 2008, and two (Estonia and Malta) an improvement.

At the end of 2009, the lowest ratios of government debt to GDP were recorded in Estonia (7.2%), Luxembourg (14.5%), Bulgaria (14.7%), Romania (23.9%) and Lithuania (29.5%). Twelve Member States had government debt ratios higher than 60% of GDP in 2009: Greece (126.8%), Italy (116.0%), Belgium (96.2%), Hungary (78.4%), France (78.1%), Portugal (76.1%), Germany (73.4%), Malta (68.6%), the United Kingdom (68.2%), Austria (67.5%), Ireland (65.5%) and the Netherlands (60.8%).

In 2009, government expenditure in the euro area was equivalent to 50.8% of GDP and government revenue to 44.5%. The figures for the EU27 were 50.8% and 44.0% respectively. In both zones, the government expenditure ratio increased between 2008 and 2009, while the government revenue ratio decreased.