alba24.ro/eurostat-romania-a-doua-cea-mai-mare-cre

Romania's economy grew by 2.1% in Q3 2026, marking the second highest growth in the EU after Ireland's 5.5%. However, compared to Q3 2025, growth was only 0.3%. Despite the quarterly increase, the overall economic performance for the first nine months of 2026 showed a decline. The EU average growth was 0.5%, while the eurozone saw 0.4%. The data indicates that Romania's strong quarterly performance does not reflect a robust annual growth, as the economy faced challenges earlier in the year, including a contraction in Q1 and stagnation in Q2. The National Institute of Statistics reported a decrease in GDP for the first nine months of 2026, highlighting the need for cautious interpretation of quarterly gains.