Euro area government debt rises to 88.8% of GDP in second quarter
The euro area’s general government gross debt reached 88.8% of GDP at the end of the second quarter of 2026, up from 88.4% in the first quarter, Eurostat reported on 21 October. The EU ratio also rose, from 82.5% to 82.9%.
Event / data period: 2026-06
Published: · Updated:
Compared with the same quarter of 2025, the ratio increased from 87.3% to 88.8% in the euro area and from 81.4% to 82.9% in the EU. Debt securities made up 84.5% of euro area debt and 83.9% of EU debt in the second quarter.
Among member states, the highest debt ratios were in Greece at 140.8%, Italy at 139.9% and France at 119.1%. The quarterly figures are provisional and follow the Maastricht debt definition, with debt measured against GDP over the latest four quarters.
Data
Government debt
EU and euro area, second quarter 2026; share of GDP
| Euro area, 2026 Q2 | 88.8 |
| EU, 2026 Q2 | 82.9 |
| Euro area, 2025 Q2 | 87.3 |
| EU, 2025 Q2 | 81.4 |
Methodology
Ratios are reported by Eurostat; quarterly figures are provisional.
Updated:
Subjects and places
Subject proposals
- Government debtSuggested
- Subject suggested from the title or summary: government debtec.europa.eu ↗