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The EU's economic recovery plan will invest €5 billion in energy projects, broadband internet infrastructure and rural development. MEPs gave the green light to investing €3.98 billion of the funds in gas and electricity infrastructure, offshore wind parks and carbon capture and storage projects. Parliament also backs allocating €1.02 billion to rural development measures.

In March 2009, compared with February 2009, the volume of retail trade decreased by 0.6% in the euro area (EA16) and by 0.3% in the EU27. In February retail trade fell by 0.3% and 0.8% respectively.

Workers in Cyprus saw their annually collectively agreed wage increase by 2.5% in 2008, up from 2.1% in 2007, according to new research from Eurofound, the Dublin-based EU agency charged with providing European social policy-makers with research data, analysis and recommendations. This is the second lowest increase recorded across all 27 Member States in the EU, only behind Malta and on par with Denmark. The development in Cyprus confirms a trend of wage moderation, similar to that of many former EU15 countries.

The European Commission launched the eYouGuide, a new online tool giving practical advice on the "digital rights" consumers have under EU law. This guide, which responds to a call from the European Parliament in 2007, addresses consumer issues like the rights towards your broadband provider, shopping on the web, downloading music and protecting your personal data online and on social networking sites. Even though 48.5% of EU households have a broadband internet connection, a new Eurobarometer survey shows that a lack of confidence still holds many consumers back from online transactions. Only 12% of EU web users feel safe making transactions on the internet, while 39% of EU internet users have major doubts about safety, and 42% do not dare carry out financial transactions online.

In March 2009 compared with February 2009, the industrial producer price index fell by 0.7% in the euro area (EA16) and by 0.8% in the EU27. In February, prices decreased by 0.4% and 0.3% respectively.

In the Commission's spring forecast, GDP in the European Union is projected to fall by 4% this year and to broadly stabilise in 2010. The main factors behind the recession are the worsening of the global financial crisis, a sharp contraction in world trade and ongoing housing market corrections in some economies. However, with the impact of fiscal and monetary stimulus measures kicking in, growth is expected to regain some momentum in the course of 2010. Labour markets will be severely affected, with the unemployment rate expected to increase to 11% in the EU in 2010. The public deficit is also projected to rise sharply, to 7¼% of GDP in 2010, reflecting both the slowdown and the discretionary measures taken to support the economy, in line with the European Recovery Plan proposed by the Commission.

Between 2000 and 2008, EU27 exports of goods to Canada grew from 21.1 billion euro to 26.1 bn, while EU27 imports from Canada rose from 19.0 bn to 23.8 bn. As a result the EU27 surplus in trade with Canada remained nearly stable, at 2.1 bn in 2000 and 2.3 bn in 2008. The share of Canada in the EU27's total external trade in goods has fallen between 2000 and 2008. In 2008, Canada accounted for 2.0% of EU27 exports and 1.5% of EU27 imports, and was the EU27's eleventh most important trading partner.

The European Restructuring Monitor (ERM) recorded a total of 721 cases of restructuring in the European Union between 1 January 2009 and 31 March 2009, involving some 220,000 announced job losses and 90,000 announced job gains. The sectors most affected by job loss were financial intermediation, auto manufacture and the retail trade. However, in terms of job creation, retail, and hotels and restaurants figured strongly, in particular discount stores and fast food outlets, which seem to be benefitting from the downturn.

The euro area (EA16) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 8.9% in March 2009, compared with 8.7% in February. It was 7.2% in March 2008. The EU27 unemployment rate was 8.3% in March 2009, compared with 8.1% in February3. It was 6.7% in March 2008.