Professor Joe Nellis is economic adviser at MHA, the accountancy and advisory firm.
The Eurozone economy recorded small but positive growth of 0.2% in GDP during the third quarter of 2025, a slight improvement on the 0.1% expansion seen in the second quarter. On an annual basis, output grew by 1.3% signalling that while momentum remains weak, the economy of the Eurozone continues to edge forward rather than slip into contraction.
This modest improvement points to an economy still walking a fine line between recovery and stagnation. Consumer demand strengthened slightly as inflation cooled and wages inched higher, providing some relief for households. The services sector held steady, but manufacturing and exports continued to underperform, weighed down by subdued global demand and lingering cost pressures.
Governments across the bloc are likely to face growing calls to use targeted fiscal measures to stimulate investment and productivity, especially in energy transition, digital infrastructure, and workforce skills.
Persistent structural issues — such as weak productivity growth, labour-market rigidities, and uneven competitiveness — remain the main obstacles to stronger long-term, sustainable performance.
The Eurozone is managing to grow, but very slowly.
The bloc’s economic performance is not being helped by Germany and France, the two largest economies in the Eurozone, as they continue to vie for the unenviable title of ‘the sick man of Europe’. While Germany is showing signs of slow recovery following a 0.5% contraction in the economy in 2024, France remains dogged by economic instability. The debt-to-GDP ratio is currently around 114% — by comparison, the UK, frequently critiqued for its growing debt levels, has a ratio below 96%. Additionally, Government borrowing costs are elevated and continue to increase.
The IMF forecasts growth rates for France of 0.7% for 2025 and 0.9% for 2026, but these increases are insufficient to raise enough tax revenue to balance public spending.
"The powers-that-be at the European Central Bank would never let its second-largest economy fail, but the trajectory of the French economy remains worrying. If the Eurozone economy is to start firing on all cylinders, it needs its two heavyweights to start packing a punch."
