Eurostat edited “Sustanaible development in the Eurpean Union” publication. Of the more than 100 indicators presented in that report, 12 have been identified as headline indicators. They are intended to give an overall picture of whether the EU has achieved progress towards sustainable development in terms of the objectives and targets defined in the EU Sustainable Development Strategy (EU SDS). Key trends in socioeconomic development Real GDP per capita — signs of modest recovery? • Between 2000 and 2012 real GDP per capita in the EU grew by 0.9 % per year on average. In the period from 1995 to 2007, before the onset of the economic crisis, GDP per capita had been growing continuously in the EU, at an annual average rate of 2.4 %. • The financial and economic crisis took hold of the real economy in 2008, with GDP per capita contracting by 4.8 % in 2009 (compared to 2008). Swift implementation of fiscal stimuli and other policy actions at national and EU level contained the worst effects of the crisis and stabilised GDP per capita in 2010 and 2011. • In 2012, against the background of a weak recovery, real GDP per capita fell again by 0.6 % compared to 2011. The recession continues to weigh on the investment climate in the EU • Between 2003 and 2007 investment (as a share of GDP) increased moderately, following the economic cycle. As household and corporate confidence tumbled during the financial market turmoil and economic crisis, investment started decreasing rapidly. The sharp fall in investment to a decade low of about 19 % between 2009 and 2011 was mainly driven by business sector cuts. • Between 2000 and 2012 the household saving rate in the EU followed the economic cycle. While households reduced their savings during the economic upswing between 2003 and 2007, this trend was reversed by the economic upheaval and increased market uncertainty after the crisis. Despite signs of weak economic recovery, the household saving rate began to fall again after 2009. Has the EU economy become more competitive and innovative? • The steady increase in labour productivity between 2000 and 2007 was stalled by the slowdown in economic activity in 2008 and 2009. Although productivity picked up in 2010 and continued rising in the following years, long-term improvement will depend on future labour market adjustments. This could include changes in worker flows between states, sectors and regions or the response of wages to different labour market conditions. In the period 2000 to 2007 total R&D expenditure as a share of GDP remained relatively stable at 1.85 %. The indicator remained resilient to the short-term effects of the economic crisis. It even recorded a moderate increase in 2008 and 2009 before stabilising at 2 % over the following two years. This was mainly due to government efforts to support economic growth by boosting R&D expenditure. • Energy intensity in the EU declined steadily between 2003 and 2009, followed by a

rebound in 2010 and an accelerated decline in 2011. The positive trend occurred against the background of absolute decoupling of gross inland energy consumption from economic growth. Muted labour market recovery • The EU employment rate increased from 66.6 % in 2000 to 70.3 % in 2008. The rise ended in 2009 as the economic recession prolonged labour market stagnation and the employment rate remained around 68.5 % until 2012. This pushed the EU off-track to meeting the Europe 2020 target of 75 %. • Between 2000 and 2007 regional disparities in employment in the EU were reduced by 2.1 percentage points. Progress was erased by the economic crisis, which gradually brought regional inequalities in employment back to the 2000 level (13.3 % in 2012). On the positive side, the gender gap in regional employment was reduced to a decade low of 5.6 percentage points. • Overall, in the period between 2001 and 2004 the total unemployment rate in the EU increased. In the following four years (2005 to 2008) the unemployment rate fell continuously, reaching a low of 7.1 % in 2008. These improvements were followed by a sharp increase, and in 2012 the EU’s unemployment rate reached a record high of 10.5 %. Source: Eurostat.