Europe

GDP growth in the EU expected to gradually pick up, though recovery less robust than past upturns.
The recession ended in the third quarter of 2009, thanks largely to fiscal and monetary measures to stimulate the economy. But temporary factors also played a role, says the latest EU economic forecast.
In 2010, the EU economy looks set to expand by 1% – a ¼ percentage point more than the commission had forecast in the autumn. The increase stems in part from the stronger global economy. In 2011, GDP growth of 1¾% is expected.