Romania ranked third in the EU in a top of the strongest increases in retail trade in December 2013, compared to the same month of 2012, with a growth of 5.9 percent, according to the recent data provided by Eurostat.

The highest increases in retail trade were recorded in Luxembourg, of 9.4 percent and Poland - 6.7 percent, Romania being followed by Bulgaria, with a year-on-year increase of 5.7 percent.

Germany recorded the largest decrease of 2.4 percent, followed by Belgium with a drop of 1.9 percent, and Finland with a decline of 1.3 percent.

“In December 2013 compared with December 2012, the retail sales index decreased by one percent in the euro area and rose by 0.1 percent in the EU28,” reads the Eurostat statement.

Compared to November 2013, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade fell by 1.6 percent in the euro area in December, and decreased by 0.8 percent in the EU28, according to estimates from Eurostat.

Among the Member States, total retail trade fell in 16 and rose in six, the largest increase being recorded in UK - up 2.6 percent, Malta - 2 percent, and Ireland - 1.4 percent.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com