Data / Rankings / Government balance / EU countries

EU countries by government balance as a share of GDP

Luxembourg had the highest government balance as a share of GDP of 27 EU countries in 2018, at 3.2% of GDP. Cyprus had the lowest, at -3.4% of GDP. The median was -0.1% of GDP and the figure for the European Union (27) was -0.4% of GDP. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest3.2Luxembourg
Lowest-3.4Cyprus
Median-0.127 EU countries
European Union (27)-0.4History

All EU countries, 2018

CSVChart (SVG)

LuxembourgLuxembourg: 3.2 % of GDP3.2GermanyGermany: 1.9 % of GDP1.9MaltaMalta: 1.9 % of GDP1.9BulgariaBulgaria: 1.7 % of GDP1.7NetherlandsNetherlands: 1.5 % of GDP1.5CzechiaCzechia: 0.9 % of GDP0.9GreeceGreece: 0.9 % of GDP0.9SloveniaSlovenia: 0.9 % of GDP0.9DenmarkDenmark: 0.8 % of GDP0.8SwedenSweden: 0.7 % of GDP0.7LithuaniaLithuania: 0.5 % of GDP0.5AustriaAustria: 0.2 % of GDP0.2IrelandIreland: 0.1 % of GDP0.1CroatiaCroatia: -0.1 % of GDP-0.1PolandPoland: -0.2 % of GDP-0.2PortugalPortugal: -0.4 % of GDP-0.4EstoniaEstonia: -0.6 % of GDP-0.6FinlandFinland: -0.9 % of GDP-0.9BelgiumBelgium: -1 % of GDP-1SlovakiaSlovakia: -1 % of GDP-1LatviaLatvia: -1.4 % of GDP-1.4HungaryHungary: -2 % of GDP-2ItalyItaly: -2.2 % of GDP-2.2FranceFrance: -2.3 % of GDP-2.3SpainSpain: -2.6 % of GDP-2.6RomaniaRomania: -2.8 % of GDP-2.8CyprusCyprus: -3.4 % of GDP-3.4
% of GDP. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-07.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2018
% of GDP		Change on 2017
1Luxembourg3.2+1.8 pts
2Germany1.9+0.6 pts
2Malta1.9-1.5 pts
4Bulgaria1.7+0.1 pts
5Netherlands1.5+0.1 pts
6Czechia0.9-0.6 pts
6Greece0.9+0.2 pts
6Slovenia0.9+0.8 pts
9Denmark0.8-0.9 pts
10Sweden0.7-0.6 pts
11Lithuania0.5+0.1 pts
12Austria0.2+1 pts
13Ireland0.1+0.4 pts
14Croatia-0.1-0.7 pts
15Poland-0.2+1.3 pts
16Portugal-0.4+2.6 pts
17Estonia-0.6-0.1 pts
18Finland-0.9-0.3 pts
19Belgium-1-0.2 pts
19Slovakia-10 pts
21Latvia-1.4-1.1 pts
22Hungary-2+0.5 pts
23Italy-2.2+0.3 pts
24France-2.3+1.1 pts
25Spain-2.6+0.5 pts
26Romania-2.8-0.3 pts
27Cyprus-3.4-5.5 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

General government net lending (+) or net borrowing (-) as a percentage of GDP.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the EU countries are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Eurostat. Government deficit and debt, net lending or borrowing (gov_10dd_edpt1). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/gov_10dd_edpt1/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-07.

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Questions

Which EU country has the highest government balance as a share of GDP?

Luxembourg, with 3.2% of GDP in 2018, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which EU country has the lowest government balance as a share of GDP?

Cyprus, with -3.4% of GDP in 2018.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Eurostat, European Commission, Government deficit and debt, net lending or borrowing (gov_10dd_edpt1). Retrieved 2026-10-07.

EU countries: more rankings