Data / Companies / The EU

Companies in the EU

The latest figures for 8 indicators in the EU, how the EU countries compare, and the source of each figure.

Figures last updated on 2026-10-12.

Active enterprises

Active enterprises in the EU were 34.19 million in 2024, up 2.6% from 2023.

Of 27 EU countries in 2024, France had the most active enterprises (5.62 million) and Luxembourg the fewest (49,737).

European Union (27), 202434.19 millionUp 2.6% from 2023History
Highest, 20245.62 millionFrance
Lowest, 202449,737Luxembourg
France: 5,615,765 countFrance5,615,765Italy: 4,639,890 countItaly4,639,890Spain: 3,552,872 countSpain3,552,872Germany: 3,240,939 countGermany3,240,939Poland: 2,821,170 countPoland2,821,170Netherlands: 2,424,297 countNetherlands2,424,297Portugal: 1,470,937 countPortugal1,470,937Czechia: 1,366,927 countCzechia1,366,927Romania: 1,030,603 countRomania1,030,603Greece: 964,851 countGreece964,851
Top 10 EU countries, 2024. count. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Business demography by size class and NACE Rev. 2 activity, industry, construction and market services, all size classes, enterprises, number (bd_size).

Enterprise births

Enterprise births in the EU were 3.54 million in 2024, up 1.3% from 2023.

Of 27 EU countries in 2024, France had the most enterprise births (799,108) and Luxembourg the fewest (4,208).

European Union (27), 20243.54 millionUp 1.3% from 2023History
Highest, 2024799,108France
Lowest, 20244,208Luxembourg
France: 799,108 countFrance799,108Italy: 368,276 countItaly368,276Spain: 334,789 countSpain334,789Poland: 317,162 countPoland317,162Germany: 252,090 countGermany252,090Portugal: 236,498 countPortugal236,498Netherlands: 197,710 countNetherlands197,710Czechia: 130,621 countCzechia130,621Romania: 119,531 countRomania119,531Greece: 88,028 countGreece88,028
Top 10 EU countries, 2024. count. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Business demography by size class and NACE Rev. 2 activity, industry, construction and market services, all size classes, enterprise births, number (bd_size).

Enterprise birth rate

Enterprise birth rate in the EU was 10.36% in 2024, down 0.14 percentage points from 2023.

Of 27 EU countries in 2024, Lithuania had the highest enterprise birth rate (17.47%) and Austria the lowest (6.3%).

European Union (27), 202410.36%Down 0.14 percentage points from 2023History
Highest, 202417.47%Lithuania
Lowest, 20246.3%Austria
Lithuania: 17.47 %Lithuania17.47Portugal: 16.08 %Portugal16.08Malta: 14.39 %Malta14.39France: 14.23 %France14.23Latvia: 13.92 %Latvia13.92Finland: 12.25 %Finland12.25Estonia: 12.05 %Estonia12.05Croatia: 11.86 %Croatia11.86Romania: 11.6 %Romania11.6Poland: 11.24 %Poland11.24
Top 10 EU countries, 2024. %. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Business demography by size class and NACE Rev. 2 activity, industry, construction and market services, all size classes, birth rate, percentage of active enterprises (bd_size).

Enterprise death rate

Enterprise death rate in the EU was 9.2% (provisional) in 2024, up 1.13 percentage points from 2023.

Of 27 EU countries in 2024, Estonia had the highest enterprise death rate (29.23%) and Greece the lowest (3.88%).

European Union (27), 20249.2%Up 1.13 percentage points from 2023History
Highest, 202429.23%Estonia
Lowest, 20243.88%Greece
Estonia: 29.23 %Estonia29.23Ireland: 16.86 %Ireland16.86Lithuania: 15.57 %Lithuania15.57Bulgaria: 14.99 %Bulgaria14.99Slovakia: 14.48 %Slovakia14.48Hungary: 12.84 %Hungary12.84Poland: 12.19 %Poland12.19Portugal: 11.83 %Portugal11.83France: 10.95 %France10.95Germany: 10.23 %Germany10.23
Top 10 EU countries, 2024. %. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Business demography by size class and NACE Rev. 2 activity, industry, construction and market services, all size classes, death rate, percentage of active enterprises (bd_size).

Enterprises in industry, construction and market services

Enterprises in industry in the EU (construction and market services) were 33.98 million in 2024, up 2.8% from 2023.

Of 27 EU countries in 2024, France had the most enterprises in industry (5.45 million) and Luxembourg the fewest (48,771).

European Union (27), 202433.98 millionUp 2.8% from 2023History
Highest, 20245.45 millionFrance
Lowest, 202448,771Luxembourg

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Structural business statistics, Industry, construction and market services (NACE Rev. 2 sections B to S except O and S94), enterprises, number (sbs_ovw_act).

Net turnover in industry, construction and market services

Net turnover in industry in the EU (construction and market services) was €38.72 trillion in 2024, up 0.6% from 2023.

Of 27 EU countries in 2024, Germany had the highest net turnover in industry (€9.78 trillion) and Malta the lowest (€61.96 billion).

European Union (27), 2024€38.72 trillionUp 0.6% from 2023History
Highest, 2024€9.78 trillionGermany
Lowest, 2024€61.96 billionMalta

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Structural business statistics, Industry, construction and market services (NACE Rev. 2 sections B to S except O and S94), net turnover, EUR million (sbs_ovw_act).

Value added in industry, construction and market services

Value added in industry in the EU (construction and market services) was €10.92 trillion in 2024, up 4.4% from 2023.

Of 27 EU countries in 2024, Germany had the highest value added in industry (€2.89 trillion) and Malta the lowest (€16.7 billion).

European Union (27), 2024€10.92 trillionUp 4.4% from 2023History
Highest, 2024€2.89 trillionGermany
Lowest, 2024€16.7 billionMalta

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Structural business statistics, Industry, construction and market services (NACE Rev. 2 sections B to S except O and S94), value added, EUR million (sbs_ovw_act).

Persons employed in industry, construction and market services

Persons employed in industry in the EU (construction and market services) was 164.52 million in 2024, up 1.4% from 2023.

Of 27 EU countries in 2024, Germany had the highest persons employed in industry (39.31 million) and Malta the lowest (273,922).

European Union (27), 2024164.52 millionUp 1.4% from 2023History
Highest, 202439.31 millionGermany
Lowest, 2024273,922Malta

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Structural business statistics, Industry, construction and market services (NACE Rev. 2 sections B to S except O and S94), persons employed, number (sbs_ovw_act).

Sources and citations

Each figure comes from the table cited here. Cite the publisher; these citations include any notice the publisher requires.

  1. Eurostat. Business demography by size class and NACE Rev. 2 activity, industry, construction and market services, all size classes, enterprises, number (bd_size). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/bd_size/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  2. Eurostat. Business demography by size class and NACE Rev. 2 activity, industry, construction and market services, all size classes, enterprise births, number (bd_size). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/bd_size/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  3. Eurostat. Business demography by size class and NACE Rev. 2 activity, industry, construction and market services, all size classes, birth rate, percentage of active enterprises (bd_size). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/bd_size/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  4. Eurostat. Business demography by size class and NACE Rev. 2 activity, industry, construction and market services, all size classes, death rate, percentage of active enterprises (bd_size). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/bd_size/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  5. Eurostat. Structural business statistics, Industry, construction and market services (NACE Rev. 2 sections B to S except O and S94), enterprises, number (sbs_ovw_act). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/sbs_ovw_act/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  6. Eurostat. Structural business statistics, Industry, construction and market services (NACE Rev. 2 sections B to S except O and S94), net turnover, EUR million (sbs_ovw_act). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/sbs_ovw_act/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  7. Eurostat. Structural business statistics, Industry, construction and market services (NACE Rev. 2 sections B to S except O and S94), value added, EUR million (sbs_ovw_act). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/sbs_ovw_act/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  8. Eurostat. Structural business statistics, Industry, construction and market services (NACE Rev. 2 sections B to S except O and S94), persons employed, number (sbs_ovw_act). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/sbs_ovw_act/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Companies in other areas

More topics for the EU

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