Data / Rankings / Activity rate / EU countries

EU countries by activity rate

The Netherlands had the highest activity rate of 27 EU countries in 2020, at 83.4%. Italy had the lowest, at 63.5%. The median was 74.5% and the figure for the European Union (27) was 72.4%. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest83.4Netherlands
Lowest63.5Italy
Median74.527 EU countries
European Union (27)72.4History

All EU countries, 2020

CSVChart (SVG)

NetherlandsNetherlands: 83.4 %83.4SwedenSweden: 82.1 %82.1EstoniaEstonia: 79.6 %79.6DenmarkDenmark: 79 %79LithuaniaLithuania: 78.5 %78.5LatviaLatvia: 78 %78GermanyGermany: 77.5 %77.5FinlandFinland: 77.3 %77.3CyprusCyprus: 76.9 %76.9AustriaAustria: 76.4 %76.4CzechiaCzechia: 76.4 %76.4MaltaMalta: 76 %76HungaryHungary: 75.2 %75.2SlovakiaSlovakia: 74.5 %74.5SloveniaSlovenia: 73.8 %73.8PortugalPortugal: 73.6 %73.6BulgariaBulgaria: 72.6 %72.6LuxembourgLuxembourg: 72.2 %72.2SpainSpain: 72.2 %72.2FranceFrance: 71.9 %71.9IrelandIreland: 70.8 %70.8PolandPoland: 70.2 %70.2BelgiumBelgium: 68.4 %68.4CroatiaCroatia: 67.2 %67.2GreeceGreece: 65.3 %65.3RomaniaRomania: 64.1 %64.1ItalyItaly: 63.5 %63.5
%. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Netherlands83.40 pts
2Sweden82.1-0.5 pts
3Estonia79.6+0.4 pts
4Denmark79-0.1 pts
5Lithuania78.5+0.5 pts
6Latvia78+0.7 pts
7Germany Series break77.5-0.7 pts
8Finland77.30 pts
9Cyprus76.9-0.2 pts
10Austria76.4-0.9 pts
10Czechia76.4-0.3 pts
12Malta76+1.2 pts
13Hungary75.2+0.3 pts
14Slovakia74.5-0.2 pts
15Slovenia73.8-0.8 pts
16Portugal73.6-1.2 pts
17Bulgaria72.6-1 pts
18Luxembourg72.2+0.2 pts
18Spain72.2-1.6 pts
20France71.9-0.5 pts
21Ireland70.8-2.4 pts
22Poland70.2+0.1 pts
23Belgium68.4-0.7 pts
24Croatia67.2+0.8 pts
25Greece65.3-3.2 pts
26Romania64.1+0.8 pts
27Italy63.5-2.2 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 83.4% in 2020, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which EU country has the lowest activity rate?

Italy, with 63.5% in 2020.

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