In 2008, the EU's GDP was over 100% of US GDP; today it is around 65%.

Omissions

• The EU's composition has changed between 2008 and 2026: the United Kingdom left the EU in 2020. In 2008, the UK contributed roughly $3 trillion to EU GDP. A like-for-like comparison (EU-27 then vs. EU-27 now) would show a less dramatic decline, and adding the UK back to 2024 figures would raise the ratio to approximately 80%.
• The exact ratio is highly sensitive to the EUR/USD exchange rate. In 2008 the euro was near its all-time high (~$1.47), inflating EU GDP in dollar terms. By 2024 the euro averaged around $1.08, mechanically reducing the ratio regardless of real economic performance.
• The World Bank's most recent actual data (2024) shows a ratio of 67.8%, while the IMF's April 2026 estimate for 2025 suggests 71.1%. Both are above the claimed 'around 65%'.
• The MEP did not cite a specific source for these figures, and no single official source was found that reports exactly 65% for the latest period.

Sources

• PrimaryWorld Bank Open Data – GDP (current US$) – European UnionEU GDP in 2024: $19.5 trillion (current US$). The dataset also covers 2008, confirming the EU economy was larger than the US in nominal dollar terms that year.
• PrimaryWorld Bank Open Data – GDP (current US$) – United StatesUS GDP in 2024: $28.75 trillion (current US$). EU/US ratio for 2024: $19.5T / $28.75T = 67.8%.
• PrimaryIMF World Economic Outlook (April 2026) – GDP, current pricesEuropean Union: $23.03 trillion; United States: $32.38 trillion. EU/US ratio: 71.1%. These values likely reflect 2025 estimates from the April 2026 WEO.