Employment and social policy
Labour market participation, unemployment and wage structures.
A Third of the EU's Unemployed Have Been Out of Work for a Year or More
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.
Employment Rates Vary Far More Between EU Regions Than Between Countries
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.
Germany's Legal Minimum Wage Buys More Than Any Other in the EU
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.
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, social contributions and employer payroll taxes — 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%.
EU Jobless Figures Miss Nearly Half of People Who Want a Job or More Hours
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.