Government Finance Statistics; key figures 1995-2023
Explanation of symbols
Table explanation
This table contains information on the finances of the general government sector. The terms and definitions used are in accordance with the framework of the National Accounts. The National Accounts are based on the international definitions of the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010). Small temporary differences with publications of the National Accounts may occur due to the fact that the government finance statistics are sometimes more up to date.
In this publication there are differences between the national accounts and government finance statistics in 2021. The national accounts will be aligned with government finance statistics on 24 June 2024.
Data available from:
Yearly figures from 1995 to 2023, quarterly figures from 1999 to 2023.
Status of the figures:
The figures for the period 1995-2020 are final. The quarterly figures for 2021 are provisional. The annual figures for 2021 are final. The figures for 2022 and 2023 are provisional.
Because this table is discontinued, figures will not be updated anymore.
Changes as of 24 June 2024:
None, this table is discontinued.
When will new figures be published?
Not applicable anymore.
This table is replaced by table Government Finance Statistics; key figures. See paragraph 3.
Initial quarterly figures are published three months after the end of the quarter. In September the figures on the first quarter are revised, in December the figures on the second quarter are revised and in March the first three quarters are revised. Yearly figures are published for the first time three months after the end of the year concerned. Yearly figures are revised two times: 6 and 18 months after the end of the year. Please note that there is a possibility that adjustments might take place at the end of March or September, in order to provide the European Commission with the latest figures. Revised yearly figures are published in June each year. Quarterly figures are aligned to revised years at the end of June. More information on the revision policy of National Accounts can be found under 'relevant articles' under paragraph 3.
Description topics
- Key figures (million euros)
- Some important figures on government finance statistics.
- Government revenue
- Revenue of the general government sector.
The revenue of the general government sector consists of received taxes and social contributions, production revenue, other current revenue and received capital transfers.
- Government expenditure
- Expenditure of the general government sector.
The expenditure of the general government sector consists of intermediate consumption, compensation of employees, paid interest, social benefits and social transfers in kind via market production, other current expenditure and capital expenditure.
- Balance of the general government sector
- Balance of revenue and expenditure of the general government sector. In national accounts it equals net lending/net borrowing of the general government sector. The balance of the general government sector is often presented as percentage of GDP.
The balance of the general government sector (or EMU-balance) is an element of the Stability and Growth Pact. A positive figure indicates a surplus, a negative figure indicates a deficit.
- Final consumption of general government
- Expenditure incurred by the general government sector on goods or services that are used for the direct satisfaction of individual needs or wants or the collective needs of members of the community.
Final consumption expenditure by general government includes two categories of expenditures:
(a) the value of the goods and services produced by general government itself other than own-account capital formation, market output and payments for non-market output or sales of goods and services. Consumption of typical services of government, like defence, safety and education, belong to this category;
(b) purchases by general government of goods and services produced by market producers that are supplied to households, without any transformation, as social transfers in kind. General government pays for these goods and services that the sellers provide to households.
- Memorandum items (million euros)
- Some memorandum items of the government finance statistics.
- Government revenue seasonal adjusted
- Revenue per quarter corrected for seasonal effects.
- Government expenditure seasonal adjusted
- Expenditure per quarter corrected for seasonal effects.
- Key figures (% of GDP)
- Some important figures on government finance statistics, presented as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).
The gross domestic product (market value) is the result of the productive activities of residential production units. It equals the added value (basic prices) of all industries, completed with some transactions that cannot be attributed to industries.- Government revenue
- Government revenue, presented as percentage of GDP.
Quarterly government revenue as a percentage of GDP is a progressive yearly total. It is calculated as the sum of the revenues of the quarter considered plus three preceding quarters, divided by the sum of GDP of the quarter considered plus three preceding quarters. The figure for the fourth quarter equals the yearly figure.
- Government expenditure
- Government expenditure, presented as percentage of GDP.
Quarterly government expenditure as a percentage of GDP is a progressive yearly total. It is calculated as the sum of the expenditures of the quarter considered plus three preceding quarters, divided by the sum of GDP of the quarter considered plus three preceding quarters. The figure for the fourth quarter equals the yearly figure.
- Balance of the general government sector
- Balance of revenue and expenditure of the general government sector, presented as percentage of GDP. In the national accounts it equals net lending/net borrowing of the general government sector.
The balance of the general government sector (or EMU-balance) is an element of the Stability and Growth Pact. A positive figure indicates a surplus, a negative figure indicates a deficit.
Quarterly balance of the general government sector as a percentage of GDP is a progressive yearly total. It is calculated as the sum of the balance of the quarter considered plus three preceding quarters, divided by the sum of GDP of the quarter considered plus three preceding quarters. The figure for the fourth quarter equals the yearly figure.
- Government debt (EMU)
- The consolidated debt of the general government sector (valued at face value) excluding other accounts payable and debt on financial derivatives, presented as percentage of GDP. Consolidated means that debt relations within the government have been eliminated.
Due to the difference in method of valuation, the sum of debt instruments (face value) is not equal to the sum of debt instruments in the national accounts (market value). The debt according to the EMU-definition consists of the following debt instruments: deposits, short term debt securities, long term debt securities, short term loans and long term loans. The government debt (or Maastrichtdebt) is one of the elements of the Stability and Growth Pact.
Quarterly government debt as a percentage of GDP is calculated as the debt at the end of the quarter divided by the sum of GDP of the quarter considered plus three preceding quarters. The figure for the fourth quarter equals the yearly figure.
- Final consumption of general government
- Final consumption of general government, presented as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).
Expenditure incurred by the general government sector on goods or services that are used for the direct satisfaction of individual needs or wants or the collective needs of members of the community.
Final consumption expenditure by general government includes two categories of expenditures:
(a) the value of the goods and services produced by general government itself other than own-account capital formation, market output and payments for non-market output or sales of goods and services. Consumption of typical services of government, like defence, safety and education, belong to this category;
(b) purchases by general government of goods and services produced by market producers that are supplied to households, without any transformation, as social transfers in kind. General government pays for these goods and services that the sellers provide to households.
Quarterly final consumption of general government as a percentage of GDP is a progressive yearly total. It is calculated as the sum of the final consumption of the quarter considered plus three preceding quarters, divided by the sum of GDP of the quarter considered plus three preceding quarters. The figure for the fourth quarter equals the yearly figure.
- Memorandum items (% of GDP)
- Some memorandum figures on government finance statistics, presented as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).
The gross domestic product (market value) is the result of the productive activities of residential production units. It equals to the added value (basic prices) of all industries, completed with some transactions that cannot be attributed to industries.- Government revenue seasonal adjusted
- Revenue of the general government sector per quarter corrected for seasonal effects, presented as a percentages percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) per quarter corrected for seasonal effects.
- Government expenditure seasonal adjusted
- Expenditure of the general government sector per quarter corrected for seasonal effects, presented as a percentages percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) per quarter corrected for seasonal effects.
- Labour input of government employees
- The amount of labour by government employees that is used in a certain period. Labour input can be measured in persons, jobs, fte jobs or hours worked. Employees are persons who carry out work during a certain period in return for wages or salary, in cash or in kind.
- Persons
- Labour by employees of the general government sector in persons.
- Fte jobs
- Labour by employees of the general government sector in fte jobs.
- Hours worked
- Labour by employees of the general government sector in hours worked.
- Price change
- Percentage price change compared to the previous year.
- Material consumption of government(IMOC)
- The IMOC represents the price change of the intermediate consumption (excluding intermediate consumption of health care intermediation services by social security and financial intermediation services indirectly measured) of the following industry branches: public administration, public education and sheltered workplaces.