From 29 April 2016 onwards, Eurostat will publish preliminary flash estimates of quarterly GDP for the euro area and for the European Union at 30 days after the end of the quarter, compared with 45 days previously.
This earlier publication is an achievement of the European Statistical System, as Member States contribute by providing their national estimates to Eurostat two weeks earlier than before.
This means that both the European and US GDP growth rates will now be released at around the same date, simplifying access to high quality data for people interested in world-wide macro-economic statistics.
The methodology mainly follows the current methodology for the GDP flash estimates published 45 days after the end of the quarter (t+45). The main difference is the use of more preliminary country estimates. Because of the earlier timing, data for the third month of the quarter often have to be (at least partially) estimated by Member States.
For more information, please see Eurostat web page.
