article_snippet: Newly released statistics has shown which EU countries benefited most from illegal activities being included in the GDP.
article_snippet: Italy saw Italy 2010 GDP jump by one per cent, the biggest boost to any economy in the European Union, when including 'estimated illegal activities'.
article_snippet: Italy's increase thanks to drugs and prostitution was five times the average 0.2 per cent for the OECD as a whole.
article_snippet: Italy's 2010 GDP increased by a full one per cent when including 'estimated illegal activities' such as sales of drugs and prostitution -  five times the average 0.2 per cent for the OECD as a whole .
article_snippet: In contrast, the inclusion of 'Research & Development' in GDP saw a four per cent boost for Sweden and Finland, but only a 1.3 per cent increase in Italy - a marginally bigger impact that prostitution.
article_snippet: Spain is hot on Italy's heels with a 0.9 per cent jump when including money generated by drug trafficking, prostitution, smuggling and illegal gambling.
article_snippet: A revision to the 2010 GDP carried out by Brussels-based thinktank Bruegel shows that the two southern European nations were the ones to benefit the most from the inclusion of illegal activities.
article_snippet: Last year, Spain's National Statistics Institute reported that money generated by drug trafficking, prostitution, smuggling and illegal gambling contributed some 9billion euros (£7billion) to the national economy Last year .
article_snippet: The inclusion of 'Research & Development' in GDP saw a four per cent boost for Sweden and Finland, but only a 1.3 per cent increase in Italy - a marginally bigger impact that prostitution .
article_snippet: The figures are being included in GDP calculations on the recommendation of the European Union, which is trying to harmonize estimates across member states and get a full picture of economic activity, whether legal or not.
highlights_snippet: Italy's GDP up by one per cent when including 'estimated illegal activities'
  Spain followed with a 0.9 per cent boost thanks to prostitution and drugs .
  
highlights_snippet: The average for the European Union as a whole was 0.2 per cent .