Press release No.074 / 2008-02-26

General government surplus – 2007 Maastrichtratio slightly on the plus side

WIESBADEN – According to updated results of the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), net lending of general government amounted to about EUR 0.2 billion in 2007. This amount has been calculated as the difference between revenue (EUR 1,064.0 billion) and expenditure (EUR 1,063.8 billion) of general government. Hence, the first estimate of 15 January 2008 has been confirmed. The data are based on the definitions of the European System of Accounts (ESA) 1995.

For the first time since reunification, Germany has registered a government surplus. 2000 was the only year in which a government surplus was also recorded, but that was solely due to a one-time effect (revenue from auctioning UMTS licences).

Based on the definitions that are relevant to the European procedure in case of an excessive deficit of general government, net lending of general government amounted to about EUR 0.4 billion. The slightly higher surplus was due to the fact that receipts and expenditure relating to swap transactions and interest derivatives were taken into account. Measured as a percentage of gross domestic product at current prices (EUR 2,423.8 billion), a general government ratio of +0.0% was been calculated for 2007.

Net lending/net borrowing of general government in percent of gross domestic product at current prices
2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
–3.7	–4.0	–3.8	–3.4	–1.6	+0.0

Net borrowing/net lending by government levels according to the definitions relevant to the deficit procedure, including revenue from swap transactions
Government level	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
Government level	EUR billion
General government, total	–87.2	–83.6	–75.4	–37.0	0.4
Of which:
Central government	–39.6	–52.1	–47.5	–34.7	–19.6
Länder	–32.7	–27.8	–23.0	–10.7	5.1
Local government	–7.1	–2.3	–0.9	4.9	5.9
Social security funds	–7.7	–1.3	–4.0	3.5	9.1

For further information please contact:
Thomas Forster,
tel: (+49-611) 75-2795,

Thomas Forster

E-mail: thomas.forster@destatis.de

For more details please refer to the German version.

Contact:
tel: (+49-611)75-3444
fax: (+49-611)75-3976
presse@destatis.de
www.destatis.de

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