Euro zone growth risks lasting dent, ministers told
* Euro zone potential growth to fall below 1 pct - Juncker
* Low growth, high joblessness pose risks of social crisis
* Difficult exit from fiscal stimulus
* Inflation may reach ECB target in few months - Almunia
By Marcin Grajewski and Tamora Vidaillet
BRUSSELS, July 6 (Reuters) - Euro zone finance ministers discussed fears on Monday that the currency area's ability to grow economically would fall dramatically after the downturn, with high unemployment posing a threat of social crisis.
Eurogroup chief Jean-Claude Juncker said the 16-nation currency area's potential growth, or the highest expansion sustainable over time, could fall below 1.0 percent this and next year from 2.2 percent recorded before recession struck.
"There is a high probability that because of the crisis the euro area will suffer a potential permanent loss of future growth," Juncker told a news conference.
"Potential output in the euro area could fall from 2.2 percent to less than 1 percent in 2009 to 2010. The loss will be all the greater if the determined corrective measures of governments are not strong enough."
Juncker and European Union Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said the worst appeared to be over for the euro zone but any recovery from the deepest economic crisis since World War Two was likely to start only in 2010.
The euro zone's economy contracted by a record 2.5 percent in the first three months of 2009 quarter-on-quarter.
The euro zone's unemployment rate is bound to increase from May's 9.5 percent and persist over a longer period, hitting hard the poorest in society, Juncker said.
"The rate of employment is likely to fall, unemployment is likely to rise ... the risk is that we shall move towards a genuine social crisis," he said.
Unemployment is forecast by the European Commission to hit 9.9 percent this year and 11.5 percent next year in the euro zone from 7.5 percent in 2008, a crisis-trigger turning point after several years of major declines.
