BRUSSELS/Reuters – The Euro zone’s economic growth was higher than anticipated in the first quarter. On Tuesday, revised data revealed that employment increased, showing that the Euro zone expanded at the same solid pace as the beginning of 2021, despite the conflict in Ukraine.

Eurostat, the European Union’s statistical office, said that the GDP (gross domestic product) of the 19 member countries of the euro increased 0.3% quarter on quarter in January-March for an increase rate 5.1% over the previous year.

Eurostat had previously calculated the growth rate as 0.2 quarter-on–quarter and 5.0% per annum.

According to data, the eurozone grew at the same quarterly rate in the first three month of 2022, as it did in the third of 2021. This was despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which disrupted supply chains and impacted confidence, and greatly increased the energy prices.

Eurostat reported that employment growth in Q1 was 0.5% quarter-on-quarter and 2.6% year on year. This is an increase from the 0.4% quarterly growth rate and the 2.1% annual growth rate in the three previous months.