Employment and social policy
Labour market participation, unemployment and wage structures.
Europe's Minimum Wage Gap Halves When You Adjust for Prices
22 of the 27 Member States set a statutory minimum wage. Austria, Denmark, Finland, Italy and Sweden do not, leaving pay floors to collective agreements.
Regional Employment Rates in the EU
76.1% of people aged 20 to 64 were in employment across the EU in 2025, or 197.8 million people — the highest reading since the series began in 2009.
The Same Unemployment Rate Can Mean Two Different Things
33.2% of unemployed people aged 20 to 64 in the EU had been out of work for twelve months or more in 2025 — 4.0 million people.
The Thirteen OECD Countries That Tax Labour Most Are All in the EU
The tax wedge — the share of total labour costs taken by income tax and social contributions — was 41.7% for a single average-wage worker across the 22 EU members of the OECD in 2025, against an OECD average of 35.1%.
The Unemployment Rate Counts Half the Problem
23.9 million people aged 20 to 64 in the EU wanted more paid work in 2025 than they were able to get — 11.0% of the extended labour force.