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Greece Outperforms Fiscal Expectations With €1.96 Billion State Budget Surplus

by THEFUTURE.TEAM
September 26, 2025

Surplus Surpasses Projections

Greece has reported a state budget surplus of €1.96 billion for the January–August 2025 period, a significant departure from the projected €1.38 billion deficit. This robust performance also improves upon the €1.04 billion surplus recorded during the corresponding period in 2024.

Robust Primary Balance Performance

The nation’s primary balance, calculated on a modified cash basis, reached a surplus of €8.50 billion—well above the target of €4.93 billion and surpassing the previous period’s €7.57 billion. Factoring in the timing adjustments for transfer payments of €1.90 billion and defense programme payments of €540 million, which do not impact the general government outcome on a fiscal basis, the primary balance exceeded expectations by an estimated €793 million.

Stronger Than Anticipated Revenues

Total net revenues for January–August 2025 climbed to €48.46 billion, marginally above budget expectations by €184 million (0.4%). Notably, tax revenues reached €46.52 billion, a 4.6% surplus in collection largely driven by higher-than-expected income taxes, VAT, and excise duties. VAT receipts totaled €18.19 billion, excise duties €4.86 billion, while property and income taxes contributed €1.98 billion and €17.31 billion respectively, with personal income taxes exceeding targets by €828 million.

Expenditure And Investment Insights

State budget expenditure for the period amounted to €46.49 billion, marking a reduction of €3.16 billion from budget targets, though €2.41 billion higher than the same period last year. Key allocations included €897 million for hospitals and healthcare, €400 million for universal electricity service costs, and substantial investments in transport services and higher education.

Public investment payments reached €7.04 billion, showing an increase of €491 million over the previous year despite being slightly below target figures.

Conclusion

The Greek government’s fiscal performance during this period underscores a disciplined approach to budget management, with revenue collections and primary balance performance exceeding expectations. This achievement not only highlights sound fiscal policies but also reinforces market confidence as Greece navigates its economic strategy amidst evolving fiscal challenges and opportunities.

EU Moderates Emissions While Sustaining Economic Momentum

by THEFUTURE.TEAM
November 15, 2025

The European Union witnessed a modest decline in greenhouse gas emissions in the second quarter of 2025, as reported by Eurostat. Emissions across the EU registered at 772 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalents, marking a 0.4 percent reduction from 775 million tonnes in the same period of 2024. Concurrently, the EU’s gross domestic product rose by 1.3 percent, reinforcing the ongoing decoupling between economic growth and environmental impact.

Sector-By-Sector Performance

Within the broader statistics on emissions by economic activity, the energy sector—specifically electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply—experienced the most significant drop, declining by 2.9 percent. In comparison, the manufacturing sector and transportation and storage both achieved a 0.4 percent reduction. However, household emissions bucked the trend, increasing by 1.0 percent over the same period.

National Highlights And Notable Exceptions

Among EU member states, 12 reported a reduction in emissions, while 14 saw increases, and Estonia’s figures remained static. Notably, Slovenia, the Netherlands, and Finland recorded the most pronounced declines at 8.6 percent, 5.9 percent, and 4.2 percent respectively. Of the 12 countries reducing emissions, three—Finland, Germany, and Luxembourg—also experienced a contraction in GDP growth.

Dual Achievement: Environmental And Economic Goals

In an encouraging development, nine member states, including Cyprus, managed to lower their emissions while maintaining economic expansion. This dual achievement—reducing environmental impact while fostering economic activity—is a trend that has increasingly influenced EU climate policies. Other nations that successfully balanced these outcomes include Austria, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Slovenia, and Sweden.

Conclusion

As the EU continues to navigate its climate commitments, these quarterly insights underscore a gradual yet significant shift toward balancing emissions reductions with robust economic growth. The evolving landscape highlights the critical need for sustainable strategies that not only mitigate environmental risks but also invigorate economic resilience.

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