Economische groei Frankrijk en Duitsland versnelt (en)

Economic growth has accelerated in the two largest euro zone countries, France and Germany, during the second quarter of 2004.

In Germany, gross domestic product (GDP) rose 0.5 per cent in the second quarter of 2004, the Federal Statistics Office announced in Berlin on Thursday (12 August). In comparison, German growth in the second quarter of 2003 was negative (- 0,2%).

France recorded a growth of 0.8% during the second quarter of 2004, according to official figures also published on Thursday by Insee, the French national statistics office.

The new figures raises some hopes of the two economical heavy weights driving growth across the 12-nation euro zone. Surging oil prices might, however, slow growth in the second half of the year.

Germany is still suffering from the euro region's second-highest unemployment rate and recent growth has mainly accelerated due to growing exports.

In France, the government has encouraged people to spend more in order to promote growth.

Eurostat, the European Union's statistics bureau, will release its estimate of second-quarter growth today (13 August), and the European Commission is to present its forecast for the rest of 2004.