1/ The main economic indicators

All data are taken from OECD website :
Italy: http://stats.oecd.org/index.aspx?queryid=23086
France: http://stats.oecd.org/index.aspx?queryid=23070

Consulted the 22nd November 10’

Introduction
France and Italy are both part of the European Economic Union, they share the same currency, the Euro, they have to follow the Euro convergence criteria on the government finance, the inflation rate, the long-term interest rates and the exchange rate. This institution force those countries to have a globally similar financial situation. So we can assume in a first place that the economic indicators won’t be very different from one country to another. But a closer look will show us that three years after the financial crisis of 2007, the Italian financial situation is not the same as the French one. Are the economic differences between France and Italy a threat or an opportunity to a company that want to develop an activity of exportation from France to Italy ?
In a first part we will see the indicators relative to the GDP, and then the others important economic indicators.

Main economic indicators, France-Italy, 2007,2008 | France 2007 | France 2008 | Italy 2007 | Italy 2008 | GDP per capita | 32 494 | 33 089 | 30 990 | 31 252 | GDP growth | 2.324% | 0.429% | 1.563% | -1.039% | Investment rates (percentage of GDP) | 20.66% | 21.57% | 21.21% | 20.88% | Investment rate growth | X | 4,4% | X | -1.55% | Balance of payments (% of GDP) | -0.99% | -2.25% | -2.41 % | -3.40 % | Inflation rate (year to year growth) | 2.81 | 1.48 | 1.83 | 3.34 | Unemployment rate | 8.3% | 7.9% | 6.1% | 6.8% | Public debt (in % of GDP) | 69.86% | 75.66% | 112.4% | 114.4% | Long-term interest rate | 4.30% | 4.23% | 4.49% | 4.68% | | | | | |

a) GDP relative indicators

A first look at the GDP per capita will allow us to have a global view of the country wealth. In 2008, the GDP per capita in Italy was 5.6 percent