NIS: EU Predicts Catch-Up Race For Dutch economy as overall EU economy picks up steam

NIS

EU Predicts Catch-Up Race For Dutch economy as overall EU economy picks up steam

The EU economy is expected to grow by more than 2 percent annually in the coming years, though rising oil prices could throw a spanner in the works. The Netherlands, for years at the bottom of the EU class, will move up, according autumn projections published by the European Commission yesterday. This year, projected Dutch GDP growth of 0.5 percent will beat only Italy and Portugal. But the rate will pick up to 2 percent in 2006 and 2.4 percent in 2007, lifting the Netherlands above the eurozone countries' projected averages (1.9 percent in 2006 and 2.1 percent in 2007). The 2005 eurozone growth forecast is 1.3 percent.