In 2020, member states spent more on social protection benefits than in 2019, in terms of percentage of GDP. This is according to the EU’s statistical office Eurostat, which, however, explains that “this is partly because nominal GDP has decreased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic”. Although this information comes from early estimates provided by EU countries on a voluntary basis, we see that social protection benefits expenditure was highest in France (36% of GDP), Austria (34%) and Italy (33%); while it was lowest in Ireland (15%), as well as Latvia, Hungary and Lithuania (all 18% of GDP). If we look at the percentage change in this expenditure item compared with the previous year, we see a different picture: the largest increases were recorded in Malta (+28% compared with 2019), Ireland (+21%), and Cyprus (+18%). The smallest increases were recorded in Sweden (+4%), Croatia and Denmark (both +5%). In Italy, expenditure increased by 9% in 2020 compared with 2019.