The eurozone recovery remains disappointingly weak after Greece fell back into recession and Italy slowed to near stagnation.
The single currency area grew by just 0.3% in the final quarter of 2015, statistics body Eurostat reported on Friday.
On an annual basis, the eurozone expanded by 1.5%, down from 1.6% three months earlier, suggesting growth remains weak despite the European Central Bank’s stimulus measures and the positive impact of cheap oil.
Greece was the worst performing member of the eurozone, with GDP falling by 0.6% in the last three months of last year. That followed a steep contraction of 1.4% between July and September, when capital controls were imposed and its banks were shut.
“Greece continued to be hampered by fiscal austerity and capital controls,” said Howard Archer of IHS Global Insight.
The news came as protesting farmers clashed with riot police in Athens, as part of a major demonstration against austerity measures.
Finland, one of the most fervent supporters of austerity during the debt crisis, is also still shrinking. GDP fell by 0.1% in the last quarter.
