Belgium
GDP Growth (1998): 2.8%
Inflation Rate (Nov. 1998): 0.6%
Budget Deficit (percentage of GDP, 1997): 2.1%
Long-term Interest Rate: 5.7%
Member of ERM*: Yes
Status: Fulfills conditions of currency union
Unemployment (Oct. 1998): 8.6%

Denmark
GDP Growth (1998): 2.7%
Inflation Rate (Nov. 1998): 1.1%
Budget Deficit (percentage of GDP, 1997): Surplus of 0.7%
Long-term Interest Rate: 6.2%
Member of ERM*: Yes
Status: Will not participate initially in currency union
Unemployment (Oct. 1998): 4.2%

Germany
GDP Growth (1998): 2.6%
Inflation Rate (Nov. 1998): 0.6%
Budget Deficit (percentage of GDP, 1997): 2.7%
Long-term Interest Rate: 5.6%
Member of ERM*: Yes
Status: Fulfills conditions of currency union
Unemployment (Oct. 1998): 9.3%

Greece
GDP Growth (1998): 3.8%
Inflation Rate (Nov. 1998): 3.9%
Budget Deficit (percentage of GDP, 1997): 4.0%
Long-term Interest Rate: 9.8%
Member of ERM*: Yes
Status: Will not participate initially in currency union
Unemployment (1998 forecast): 9.2%

Spain
GDP Growth (1998): 3.6%
Inflation Rate (Nov. 1998): 1.4%
Budget Deficit (percentage of GDP, 1997): 2.6%
Long-term Interest Rate: 6.3%
Member of ERM*: Yes
Status: Fulfills conditions of currency union
Unemployment (Oct. 1998): 18.2%

France
GDP Growth (1998): 3.0%
Inflation Rate (Nov. 1998): 0.2%
Budget Deficit (percentage of GDP, 1997): 3.0%
Long-term Interest Rate: 5.5%
Member of ERM*: Yes
Status: Fulfills conditions of currency union
Unemployment (Oct. 1998): 11.8%

Ireland
GDP Growth (1998): 8.7%
Inflation Rate (Nov. 1998): 2.2%
Budget Deficit (percentage of GDP, 1997): Surplus of 0.9%
Long-term Interest Rate: 6.2%
Member of ERM*: Yes
Status: Fulfills conditions of currency union
Unemployment (Oct. 1998): 8.6%

Italy
GDP Growth (1998): 2.4%
Inflation Rate (Nov. 1998): 1.7%
Budget Deficit (percentage of GDP, 1997): 2.7%
Long-term Interest Rate: 6.7%
Member of ERM*: Yes
Status: Fulfills conditions of currency union
Unemployment (1998 forecast): 12.0%

Luxembourg
GDP Growth (1998): 4.4%
Inflation Rate (Nov. 1998): 0.5%
Budget Deficit (percentage of GDP, 1997): Surplus of 1.7%
Long-term Interest Rate: 5.6%
Member of ERM*: Yes
Status: Fulfills conditions of currency union
Unemployment (1998 forecast): 3.9%

Netherlands
GDP Growth (1998): 3.7%
Inflation Rate (Nov. 1998): 1.5%
Budget Deficit (percentage of GDP, 1997): 1.4%
Long-term Interest Rate: 5.5%
Member of ERM*: Yes
Status: Fulfills conditions of currency union
Unemployment (1998 forecast): 4.4%

Austria
GDP Growth (1998): 2.8%
Inflation Rate (Nov. 1998): 0.5%
Budget Deficit (percentage of GDP, 1997): 2.5%
Long-term Interest Rate: 5.6%
Member of ERM*: Yes
Status: Fulfills conditions of currency union
Unemployment (Oct. 1998): 4.4%

Portugal
GDP Growth (1998): 4.0%
Inflation Rate (Nov. 1998): 2.6%
Budget Deficit (percentage of GDP, 1997): 2.5%
Long-term Interest Rate: 6.2%
Member of ERM*: Yes
Status: Fulfills conditions of currency union
Unemployment (Oct. 1998): 4.5%

Finland
GDP Growth (1998): 4.6%
Inflation Rate (Nov. 1998): 0.9%
Budget Deficit (percentage of GDP, 1997): 0.9%
Long-term Interest Rate: 5.9%
Member of ERM*: Yes
Status: Fulfills conditions of currency union
Unemployment (Oct. 1998): 11.0%

Sweden
GDP Growth (1998): 2.6%
Inflation Rate (Nov. 1998): 0.1%
Budget Deficit (percentage of GDP, 1997): 0.8%
Long-term Interest Rate: 6.5%
Member of ERM*: No
Status: Will not participate initially in currency union
Unemployment (Oct. 1998): 7.5%

United Kingdom
GDP Growth (1998): 1.9%
Inflation Rate (Nov. 1998): 1.4%
Budget Deficit (percentage of GDP, 1997): 1.9%
Long-term Interest Rate: 7.0%
Member of ERM*: No
Status: Will not participate initially in currency union
Unemployment (1998 forecast): 6.5%

Note: *ERM is the European exchange-rate mechanism. Countries that belong to the ERM restrict their currencies to trading within a specific range.