EU Candidate & Potential Candidate Countries’ Economic Quarterly (CCEQ) – 3rd Quarter 2016

This is an overview of all seven EU Candidates' and Potential Candidates' economic situations in the second quarter of 2016 - their evolution and forecast.

The economic recovery in the Western Balkans continued in the second quarter of 2016 with annual GDP growth accelerating in most countries of the region. Private consumption was a major growth driver, the region's export performance has gained some pace, while remaining generally modest, but unemployment rates remained stubbornly high. High public debt levels in most countries of the region remained a cause for concern. In Turkey, GDP growth softened in the second quarter, resulting from weak private investment and net exports. Data suggests that the growth declined further in the third quarter in the context of sharply lower tourism and coup-related disruptions.