Data / Rankings / Activity rate / EU countries

EU countries by activity rate

The Netherlands had the highest activity rate of 27 EU countries in 2023, at 85.5%. Italy had the lowest, at 66.7%. The median was 77.1% and the figure for the European Union (27) was 75%. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest85.5Netherlands
Lowest66.7Italy
Median77.127 EU countries
European Union (27)75History

All EU countries, 2023

CSVChart (SVG)

NetherlandsNetherlands: 85.5 %85.5SwedenSweden: 84 %84EstoniaEstonia: 81.6 %81.6DenmarkDenmark: 80.8 %80.8MaltaMalta: 80.7 %80.7CyprusCyprus: 80.2 %80.2FinlandFinland: 79.9 %79.9GermanyGermany: 79.8 %79.8LithuaniaLithuania: 78.8 %78.8AustriaAustria: 78.2 %78.2HungaryHungary: 78.2 %78.2PortugalPortugal: 77.6 %77.6IrelandIreland: 77.5 %77.5CzechiaCzechia: 77.1 %77.1LatviaLatvia: 76.6 %76.6SlovakiaSlovakia: 76.5 %76.5SloveniaSlovenia: 75.2 %75.2PolandPoland: 74.5 %74.5SpainSpain: 74.5 %74.5LuxembourgLuxembourg: 74.1 %74.1FranceFrance: 74 %74BulgariaBulgaria: 73.9 %73.9BelgiumBelgium: 70.5 %70.5CroatiaCroatia: 70.1 %70.1GreeceGreece: 69.5 %69.5RomaniaRomania: 66.8 %66.8ItalyItaly: 66.7 %66.7
%. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Netherlands85.5+0.8 pts
2Sweden84+0.7 pts
3Estonia81.6+0.4 pts
4Denmark Series break80.8+0.4 pts
5Malta80.7+1.4 pts
6Cyprus80.2+1 pts
7Finland79.9+0.1 pts
8Germany79.8+0.3 pts
9Lithuania78.8+0.2 pts
10Austria78.2+0.4 pts
10Hungary78.2+0.9 pts
12Portugal77.6+1.4 pts
13Ireland77.5+0.7 pts
14Czechia77.1-0.1 pts
15Latvia76.6-0.2 pts
16Slovakia76.5+0.4 pts
17Slovenia75.2-1 pts
18Poland74.5+0.9 pts
18Spain74.5+0.5 pts
20Luxembourg74.1+0.6 pts
21France74+0.4 pts
22Bulgaria73.9+0.2 pts
23Belgium70.50 pts
24Croatia70.10 pts
25Greece69.5+0.1 pts
26Romania66.80 pts
27Italy66.7+1.2 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 85.5% in 2023, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which EU country has the lowest activity rate?

Italy, with 66.7% in 2023.

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