More than half of EU countries broke debt and deficit rules in 2024 - Eurostat
According to data released on Tuesday by Eurostat, the EU's statistical office, 17 of the 27 EU member states breached the bloc's own limits on budget deficits and public debt in the previous year.
- European Union
- DPA
- Published Date: 04:27 | 21 October 2025
Seventeen out of the European Union's 27 member countries exceeded the bloc's self-imposed limits for budget deficits and public debt last year, according to data published on Tuesday by the EU's statistics office Eurostat.
Twelve countries had a deficit of at least 3% of their total economic output, breaking the bloc's limit on public expenditure. The highest deficits were recorded in Romania with 9.3%, followed by Poland with 6.5% and France with 5.8%.
Only six EU countries - namely Luxembourg, Greece, Cyprus, Denmark, Ireland and Portugal - earned more money than they spent last year and recorded a budget surplus.
Twelve EU countries exceeded the bloc's limit on government debt with a debt ratio higher than 60% of gross domestic product (GDP). The countries with the highest debt burden are Greece (154.2%), Italy (134.9%) and France (113.2%).
Germany's debt ratio also exceeded the limit with 62.2% in 2024. The recorded deficit of 2.7% however stayed underneath the threshold.
The countries with the lowest ratios of government debt to GDP were Estonia with 23.5%, Bulgaria with 23.8%, and Luxembourg with 26.3%.
Seven EU countries - Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, Austria and Finland, exceeded both the deficit and debt limits in 2024.
Twelve countries had a deficit of at least 3% of their total economic output, breaking the bloc's limit on public expenditure. The highest deficits were recorded in Romania with 9.3%, followed by Poland with 6.5% and France with 5.8%.
Only six EU countries - namely Luxembourg, Greece, Cyprus, Denmark, Ireland and Portugal - earned more money than they spent last year and recorded a budget surplus.
Twelve EU countries exceeded the bloc's limit on government debt with a debt ratio higher than 60% of gross domestic product (GDP). The countries with the highest debt burden are Greece (154.2%), Italy (134.9%) and France (113.2%).
Germany's debt ratio also exceeded the limit with 62.2% in 2024. The recorded deficit of 2.7% however stayed underneath the threshold.
The countries with the lowest ratios of government debt to GDP were Estonia with 23.5%, Bulgaria with 23.8%, and Luxembourg with 26.3%.
Seven EU countries - Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, Austria and Finland, exceeded both the deficit and debt limits in 2024.
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