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The euro area (EA17) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 9.9% in January 2011, compared with 10.0% in December 2010. It was 10.0% in January 2010. The EU27 unemployment rate was 9.5% in January 2011, compared with 9.6% in December 2010. It was 9.5% in January 2010.

The economic recovery in the EU continues to make headway. After a strong performance in the first half of 2010, real GDP growth for both the EU and the euro area slowed down in the second half. The deceleration was expected and in line with the soft patch in global growth and trade that reflected the withdrawal of stimulus measures. Looking ahead, real GDP growth in 2011 is now forecast at 1.8% in the EU and 1.6% in the euro area, a slight upward revision compared to the autumn forecast. The improved outlook is supported by better prospects for the global economy and strong EU business sentiment. The recovery is expected to become more balanced towards domestic demand. Uncertainty remains high and developments across countries are uneven. The Commission's inflation forecast for 2011 has been revised up as compared to the autumn due mainly to higher energy and commodity prices. It now stands at 2.5% in the EU and 2.2% in the euro area.

Euro area annual inflation was 2.3% in January 2011, up from 2.2% in December 2010. A year earlier the rate was 0.9%. Monthly inflation was -0.7% in January 2011.

The annual growth rate of M3 decreased to 1.5% in January 2011, from 1.7% in December 2010. The three-month average of the annual growth rates of M3 over the period November 2010 - January 2011 stood at 1.7%, compared with 1.6% in the period October 2010 - December 2010.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the Euro Area increased 0.5 percent in January to 107.5 (2004 = 100), following a 0.7 percent increase in December and a 0.7 percent increase in November.

comScore, Inc., a leader in measuring the digital world, released The comScore 2010 Europe Digital Year in Review. This inaugural report provides a comprehensive overview of key trends in the European digital media landscape, including market-level data on user demographics, social networking, online video, mobile, and search in 18 European countries - Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

Most Member States recorded an improvement in sentiment. Among the seven largest Member States, Poland (+3.6 points) and the UK (+3.1 points) reported the most significant increase, followed by Spain (+2.2), Germany (+1.3) and the Netherlands (+1 point). Only France (-0.4) and Italy (-0.5) reported a fall. The ESI is now above its long-term average in six out of the seven largest Member States, with Spain still catching up.

In 2008, GDP per inhabitant, expressed in terms of purchasing power standards, in the EU27's 27 NUTS-2 regions ranged from 28% of the EU27 average in the region of Severozapaden in Bulgaria, to 343% of the average in Inner London in the United Kingdom.

In the EU27, housing conditions differ considerably between Member States. These differences can be seen both in the type of housing in which people live and in the housing problems they encounter. On average in the EU27 in 2009, 42% of the population lived in a flat, 34% in a detached house and 23% in a semi-detached or terraced house. Of the EU27 population, 18% lived in an overcrowded dwelling, while 16% lived in a dwelling where a leaking roof or damp were perceived as a problem, 7% considered their dwelling to be too dark, 4% had no indoor flushing toilet and 3% no bath or shower.

In December 2010 compared with November 2010, the euro area (EA16) industrial new orders index rose by 2.1%. In November the index grew by 2.2%. In the EU27, new orders increased by 2.5% in December 2010, after a rise of 1.7% in November. Excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment, for which changes tend to be more volatile, industrial new orders increased in December 2010 by 1.3% in both zones.