Friday was not a good day for Europe. As the European Union officially became smaller, losing Britain as a member, new data showed that economic growth in the bloc came almost to a standstill and that it is in danger of slipping into recession.

The 28 countries in the European Union grew only 0.1 percent during the last three months of 2019 compared with the previous quarter, according to official statistics. The eurozone, the region that includes 19 of those countries that use the euro, grew by the same amount in that period.

It was the European Union’s worst performance since the beginning of 2013, and leaves Europe with little margin for error as it braces for the economic impact of the coronavirus. Compounding the problem: The American economy has also slowed, with growth at its lowest rate since 2016. The United States is Europe’s largest trading partner.

A number of factors contributed to the unexpectedly bad growth figures, economists said. They include widespread strikes in France, political confusion in Italy and slumping world trade.