Data / Rankings / Activity rate / EU countries

EU countries by activity rate, 2025

The Netherlands had the highest activity rate of 27 EU countries in 2025, at 85.6%. Italy had the lowest, at 66.7%. The median was 78% and the figure for the European Union (27) was 75.6%. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest85.6Netherlands
Lowest66.7Italy
Median7827 EU countries
European Union (27)75.6History

All EU countries, 2025

CSVChart (SVG)

NetherlandsNetherlands: 85.6 %85.6SwedenSweden: 84 %84MaltaMalta: 82.6 %82.6DenmarkDenmark: 82.3 %82.3EstoniaEstonia: 81.7 %81.7CyprusCyprus: 80.4 %80.4GermanyGermany: 80.3 %80.3FinlandFinland: 79.7 %79.7LithuaniaLithuania: 79.7 %79.7AustriaAustria: 78.9 %78.9PortugalPortugal: 78.8 %78.8HungaryHungary: 78.6 %78.6IrelandIreland: 78.4 %78.4CzechiaCzechia: 78 %78LatviaLatvia: 77.6 %77.6SlovakiaSlovakia: 76.5 %76.5SloveniaSlovenia: 75.8 %75.8PolandPoland: 75.2 %75.2FranceFrance: 75.1 %75.1SpainSpain: 74.9 %74.9LuxembourgLuxembourg: 74.3 %74.3BulgariaBulgaria: 73.5 %73.5CroatiaCroatia: 72.4 %72.4BelgiumBelgium: 71.9 %71.9GreeceGreece: 70.9 %70.9RomaniaRomania: 67.1 %67.1ItalyItaly: 66.7 %66.7
%. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2025 (%)Change on 2024
1Netherlands85.6+0.1 pts
2Sweden84+0.2 pts
3Malta82.6+0.8 pts
4Denmark82.3-0.1 pts
5Estonia81.7-0.5 pts
6Cyprus80.4+0.7 pts
7Germany80.3+0.2 pts
8Finland79.7+0.3 pts
8Lithuania79.7+0.2 pts
10Austria78.9+0.7 pts
11Portugal78.8+0.8 pts
12Hungary78.60 pts
13Ireland78.4+0.5 pts
14Czechia78+0.5 pts
15Latvia77.6+0.9 pts
16Slovakia76.5-0.1 pts
17Slovenia75.8-0.1 pts
18Poland75.2+0.5 pts
19France75.1+0.7 pts
20Spain74.9+0.3 pts
21Luxembourg74.3-0.2 pts
22Bulgaria73.5-0.5 pts
23Croatia72.4+0.5 pts
24Belgium71.9+1.1 pts
25Greece70.9+0.4 pts
26Romania67.1-0.3 pts
27Italy66.7+0.1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Labour force (employed plus unemployed) as a percentage of the population aged 16 and over (Spain, EPA) or 15 to 64 (EU).

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the EU countries are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Eurostat. Employment and activity by sex and age, annual data, activity rate 15 to 64 (lfsi_emp_a). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/lfsi_emp_a/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which EU country has the highest activity rate?

The Netherlands, with 85.6% in 2025, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which EU country has the lowest activity rate?

Italy, with 66.7% in 2025.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Eurostat, European Commission, Employment and activity by sex and age, annual data, activity rate 15 to 64 (lfsi_emp_a). Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Activity rate: other rankings

EU countries: more rankings