While GDP per capita is often used as an indicator of countries' level of welfare, the actual individual consumption (AIC) is better adapted to reflect the situation of households, Eurostat said.

A government think-tank has recently warned that Slovenia's catching up with the EU average had reversed after a decade of constant growth.

In 2008, before the economic turmoil, Slovenia reached 91% of the EU average, but in 2010, the figure was already at 85% and the slump continued this year.

Slovenia still maintains the top place among the new EU members from central and eastern Europe, and also ranks above Greece (82%) and Portugal (77%) among the old members.

The highest level of GDP per capita in the EU was recorded in Luxembourg with a level of more than two and a half times the EU27 average. The Netherlands was just above 30% of the average, while Denmark, Sweden, Ireland and Austria were between 25% and 30% above, Eurostat said.

Croatia, which is hoping to join the 27-nation bloc next year, stands at 61% of the EU average, while Serbia and Montenegro are at 35% and 43% of the EU average, respectively.