The European Commission’s General Directorate for Economy and Finance has published the data relating to the economic climate in the European Union for October 2005. So-called “economic sentiment” is an indicator that reflects the general economic activity of the EU, and combines assessments and expectations based on surveys of various business sectors (manufacturing, services, building industry, commerce) and consumers. The document can be consulted on the website http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/indicators/businessandconsumersurveys_en.htm. It shows a sharp growth of the economic indicators both in the twelve eurozone countries and in the 25-member EU, testifying to the fact that “the economy has finally emerged from the period of fluctuation that had characterized it from the Autumn of 2004 to June of this year”. In particular, the indicators relating to the confidence of industrialists, managers in the services sector, consumers and retailers all grew. The indicator relating to the confidence of the building industry, on the other hand, remained stable. Nineteen member states registered a growth in confidence in the European economy: the figures for Germany and Italy are significant, while France and the United Kingdom present a slight diminution in confidence.
