Data / Labor market / The EU

Labor market 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.

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate in the EU was 6% in 2025, unchanged from 2024.

Of 27 EU countries in 2025, Spain had the highest unemployment rate (10.5%) and Czechia the lowest (2.8%).

European Union (27), 20256%Unchanged from 2024History
Highest, 202510.5%Spain
Lowest, 20252.8%Czechia
Spain: 10.5 %Spain10.5Finland: 9.7 %Finland9.7Greece: 8.9 %Greece8.9Sweden: 8.8 %Sweden8.8France: 7.7 %France7.7Estonia: 7.5 %Estonia7.5Latvia: 6.9 %Latvia6.9Lithuania: 6.9 %Lithuania6.9Luxembourg: 6.5 %Luxembourg6.5Denmark: 6.4 %Denmark6.4
Top 10 EU countries, 2025. %. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Unemployment by sex and age, annual data (une_rt_a).

Employment rate

Employment rate in the EU was 76.1% in 2025, up 0.4 percentage points from 2024.

Of 27 EU countries in 2025, Malta had the highest employment rate (83.6%) and Italy the lowest (67.6%).

European Union (27), 202576.1%Up 0.4 percentage points from 2024History
Highest, 202583.6%Malta
Lowest, 202567.6%Italy
Malta: 83.6 %Malta83.6Netherlands: 83.4 %Netherlands83.4Czechia: 82.9 %Czechia82.9Sweden: 81.8 %Sweden81.8Estonia: 81.7 %Estonia81.7Cyprus: 81.3 %Cyprus81.3Germany: 81.1 %Germany81.1Hungary: 81.1 %Hungary81.1Ireland: 80.2 %Ireland80.2Lithuania: 80 %Lithuania80
Top 10 EU countries, 2025. %. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Employment and activity by sex and age, annual data, employment rate 20 to 64 (lfsi_emp_a).

Employment-population ratio, ages 15 and over

Of 27 EU countries in 2025, the Netherlands had the highest employment-population ratio (64.6%) and Italy the lowest (46.2%).

Highest, 202564.6%Netherlands
Lowest, 202546.2%Italy
Netherlands: 64.6 %Netherlands64.6Cyprus: 63.7 %Cyprus63.7Malta: 62.1 %Malta62.1Ireland: 61.8 %Ireland61.8Denmark: 61.3 %Denmark61.3Estonia: 59.7 %Estonia59.7Sweden: 59 %Sweden59Lithuania: 58.7 %Lithuania58.7Czechia: 58.6 %Czechia58.6Germany: 58.3 %Germany58.3
Top 10 EU countries, 2025. %. Source: World Bank.

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: World Bank, Employment to population ratio, 15+, total, %, modeled ILO estimate (SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.ZS).

Activity rate

Activity rate in the EU was 75.6% in 2025, up 0.3 percentage points from 2024.

Of 27 EU countries in 2025, the Netherlands had the highest activity rate (85.6%) and Italy the lowest (66.7%).

European Union (27), 202575.6%Up 0.3 percentage points from 2024History
Highest, 202585.6%Netherlands
Lowest, 202566.7%Italy
Netherlands: 85.6 %Netherlands85.6Sweden: 84 %Sweden84Malta: 82.6 %Malta82.6Denmark: 82.3 %Denmark82.3Estonia: 81.7 %Estonia81.7Cyprus: 80.4 %Cyprus80.4Germany: 80.3 %Germany80.3Finland: 79.7 %Finland79.7Lithuania: 79.7 %Lithuania79.7Austria: 78.9 %Austria78.9
Top 10 EU countries, 2025. %. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Employment and activity by sex and age, annual data, activity rate 15 to 64 (lfsi_emp_a).

Labor force participation rate, ages 15 and over

Of 27 EU countries in 2025, the Netherlands had the highest labor force participation rate (67.2%) and Italy the lowest (49.3%).

Highest, 202567.2%Netherlands
Lowest, 202549.3%Italy

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: World Bank, Labor force participation rate, total, % of total population ages 15+, modeled ILO estimate (SL.TLF.CACT.ZS).

Youth unemployment rate (under 25)

Youth unemployment rate in the EU was 15.2% in 2025, up 0.2 percentage points from 2024.

Of 26 EU countries in 2025, Romania had the highest youth unemployment rate (26.1%) and Germany the lowest (7.1%).

European Union (27), 202515.2%Up 0.2 percentage points from 2024History
Highest, 202526.1%Romania
Lowest, 20257.1%Germany

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Unemployment by sex and age, annual data, 15 to 24 (une_rt_a).

Young people not in employment, education or training (NEET), ages 15 to 29

Young people not in employment, education or training (NEET) in the EU (ages 15 to 29) was 11% in 2025, down 0.2 percentage points from 2024.

Of 27 EU countries in 2025, Romania had the highest young people not in employment, education or training (19.2%) and the Netherlands the lowest (5.3%).

European Union (27), 202511%Down 0.2 percentage points from 2024History
Highest, 202519.2%Romania
Lowest, 20255.3%Netherlands

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Young people neither in employment nor in education and training (NEET), not employed, 15 to 29 years (edat_lfse_20).

Adult participation in education and training, ages 25 to 64

Adult participation in education and training in the EU (ages 25 to 64) was 13.7% in 2025, up 0.2 percentage points from 2024.

Of 27 EU countries in 2025, Sweden had the highest adult participation in education and training (38.2%) and Greece the lowest (5.2%).

European Union (27), 202513.7%Up 0.2 percentage points from 2024History
Highest, 202538.2%Sweden
Lowest, 20255.2%Greece

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Participation rate in education and training in the last 4 weeks, 25 to 64 years (trng_lfse_01).

Sources and citations

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

  1. Eurostat. Unemployment by sex and age, annual data (une_rt_a). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/une_rt_a/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  2. Eurostat. Employment and activity by sex and age, annual data, employment rate 20 to 64 (lfsi_emp_a). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/lfsi_emp_a/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  3. World Bank, World Development Indicators, modelled estimate. Employment to population ratio, 15+, total, %, modeled ILO estimate (SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.ZS). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.ZS. Retrieved 2026-10-11. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  4. 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.
  5. World Bank, World Development Indicators, modelled estimate. Labor force participation rate, total, % of total population ages 15+, modeled ILO estimate (SL.TLF.CACT.ZS). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Retrieved 2026-10-11. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  6. Eurostat. Unemployment by sex and age, annual data, 15 to 24 (une_rt_a). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/une_rt_a/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  7. Eurostat. Young people neither in employment nor in education and training (NEET), not employed, 15 to 29 years (edat_lfse_20). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_20/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  8. Eurostat. Participation rate in education and training in the last 4 weeks, 25 to 64 years (trng_lfse_01). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/trng_lfse_01/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Labor market in other areas

More topics for the EU

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