Structural business statistics overview

Data extracted in September 2026

Planned article update: September 2027

Highlights

34 million enterprises were active in the EU in 2024, employing 164.5 million people. Of that total, 99.8% were small and medium-sized enterprises, which employed almost two-thirds of the active population in the EU business economy (64%).

The services sector generated half (51%) of the total value added of the EU’s business economy in 2024, the highest share among the 4 main sectors (industry, trade, services and construction). With 64% of all enterprises, it employed more than half of the workforce (53%).

This article presents structural business statistics (SBS) including details about the structure, economic activity and performance of businesses across the European Union (EU), including the EU countries, EFTA and enlargement countries. SBS statistics support the decision-making and monitoring of the policies related to the business sector in the EU.

Sectoral analysis

Services activities accounted for the largest share of the enterprise population within the EU's business economy when analysed at NACE Rev. 2 section level for 2024: around one-sixth (17.0%; 5.8 million) of the 34 million enterprises in the EU's business economy were classified to distributive trades (motor trade, wholesale trade and retail trade), less than 1 in 6 (15.8%; 5.4 million) were in professional, scientific and technical activities – see Figure 1. Many business services have benefitted from outsourcing, which may explain, in part, the structural shift towards services. Human health and social work activities is ranked third among the services activities, accounting for 7.5% of the EU's business economy, with 2.5 million enterprises.

Figure 1

The business economy workforce (people employed) reached over 164.5 million in 2024 in the EU, and generated a total of €10 925 billion of value added.
Among the NACE Rev. 2 sections within the business economy, 'Manufacturing' was the largest in terms of value added: about 2.2 million manufacturing enterprises in the EU generated approximately €2 510 billion of value added in 2024, while providing employment to almost 30 million people. Distributive trade enterprises had the largest share of employment: these enterprises provided employment to over 30 million people and generated the second largest share in terms of value added with €1 598 billion. Financial and insurance activities had the third highest value added (€1 043 billion) but only the tenth largest workforce (5.0 million people). 'Professional, scientific and technical activities' had the fourth highest value added (€830.1 billion) and only the sixth largest workforce (12.7 million people).

Figure 2

The industrial activity of 'manufacturing' contributed more in terms of value added than employment to the overall business economy, indicating an above average apparent labour productivity. This was also the case for all the industrial acitivities, namely the ‘Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply’, ‘Mining and quarrying’ and ‘Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities’. Within the services activities 'Financial and insurance activities', as well as ’Real estate’ and 'Information and communication services' registered an above average apparent labour productivity.

In contrast, the 'Construction sector' and a number of services – notably 'Other personal service activities' as well as 'Accommodation and food services' and 'Repair of computers and personal and household goods' reported relatively low levels of apparent labour productivity. 'Distributive trade' also presents a lower share in value added than employment; however, it represents the second largest contributor after 'Manufacturing' in terms of value added. It should be noted that the employment data presented are in terms of head counts and not, for example, full-time equivalents, and there may be a significant proportion of people working part-time in some of these service activities, which may explain, at least to some degree, their relatively low levels of apparent labour productivity.

Figure 3

Varying rates of part-time work also help explain, in part, the considerable differences in average personnel costs within the business economy of the EU, as shown in Figure 4.

Average personnel costs in the EU was highest in the 'Financial and insurance activities' at €82 730 per employee in 2024 and were slightly lower for the 'Electricity, gas steam and air conditioning supply' sector (€76 920 per employee) and 'Information and communication' (€68 330 per employee).

Average personnel costs for the 'Financial and insurance activities' sector were almost 4 times as those recorded for 'Accommodation and food services' (€22 890 per employee), around 3 times those recorded for 'Other personal service activities' (€24 020 per employee), for 'Education' (€32 410 per employee) and for 'Administrative and support service activities' (€32 590 per employee), and more than twice those recorded for 'Repair of computers and personal and household goods' (€33 730 per employee), 'Arts, entertainment and recreation' (€35 310 per employee) and 'Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles' (€38 240 per employee).

The variation in average personnel costs was even more marked between EU countries: for example, for the 'Financial and insurance activities' average personnel costs ranged (among those EU countries for which data are available) by a factor of more than 10, from a maximum of €142 550 per employee in Luxembourg to a minimum of €22 720 per employee in Bulgaria; within the 'Manufacturing' sector average personnel costs ranged by a factor of 7, from a high of €84 160 per employee in Denmark and €81 730 per employee in Belgium to a low of €15 100 per employee in Bulgaria.

Figure 4

The influence of part-time employment is largely removed in the wage adjusted labour productivity ratio, which shows the relation between average value added per person employed and average personnel costs per employee (see Figure 5). This ratio was particularly high (312%) in the EU 'Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply' activities in 2024, as well as in 'Financial and insurance' activities (252%) and in 'Real estate activities' (250%). The wage adjusted labour productivity ratio, for which information is available, fell below 100% in 2 services activities: ‘Education' (99%) and 'Repair of computers, personal and household goods' (88%).

Figure 5

The gross operating rate shown in Figure 6 relates the gross operating surplus (value added less personnel costs) to the level of turnover and in this way indicates the extent to which sales are converted into gross operating profit (before accounting for depreciation or taxes).

Due at least in part to the very high level of sales inherent in wholesaling and retailing, the EU distributive trades sector displayed the lowest gross operating rate across NACE sections, at 5.5% in 2024. Capital-intensive activities (such as 'Real estate activities'; 37.1% and 'Financial and insurance activities'; 25%) tended to have high gross operating rates as the gross operating surplus by definition does not take account of financial or extraordinary costs related to capital expenditure.

Figure 6

Size class analysis

Structural business statistics can be analysed by enterprise size class (defined in terms of the number of people employed). The overwhelming majority (99.8%) of enterprises active within the EU's business economy in 2024 were micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – some 33.9 million. Together, they contributed 50.9% of the value added generated within the EU's business economy. More than 9 out of 10 (94.4%) enterprises in the EU were micro enterprises (employing less than 10 people) and their share of value added within the business economy was considerably lower, around one-fifth (19.5%).

Figure 7

Perhaps the most striking phenomenon of SMEs is their contribution to employment. Almost two-thirds (63.5%) of the EU’s business economy workforce was employed in a SME in 2024. Some 20 million people worked in SMEs in the distributive trades sector, 15.2 million in manufacturing and 12 million in construction.

In 2024, micro enterprises in the EU employed more people than any other enterprise size class in half of the service sectors. This pattern was particularly pronounced for 'Other personal service activities', 'Repair of computers and personal and household goods' and 'Real estate activities' where around two thirds and more of the workforce worked in micro enterprises. By contrast, for 'Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply' as well as 'Financial and insurance activities', 'Mining and quarrying', 'Water supply, waste and remediation' and 'Administrative and support service activities', large enterprises employed more than half of the workforce.

Figure 8

Time series

Between 2021 and 2024, the EU's business economy expanded in terms of enterprise numbers, employment and value added. Labour productivity improved steadily throughout the period, at the same time, labour costs increased faster and profitability margins weakened compared with 2021, although there was a partial recovery in 2024.

The number of enterprises rose steadily from 31.0 million in 2021 to 34.0 million in 2024, indicating continued expansion in the business population across the EU. The increase in 2024 compared with 2023 confirms that enterprise growth remained resilient. Employment also increased continuously, reaching 164.5 million people employed in 2024, up from 156.1 million in 2021. This suggests that economic activity continued to support job creation over the whole period, although the annual increase was more moderate than for the number of enterprise over the period.

Figure 9

Value added grew strongly from €9.34 trillion in 2021 to €10.92 trillion in 2024. This points to a significant increase in the economic contribution generated by businesses, with 2024 confirming this trend.

Figure 10

Apparent labour productivity improved each year, rising from €59.85 thousand per person employed in 2021 to €66.4 thousand in 2024. This indicates that, on average, each person employed generated more value added over time, suggesting improved efficiency or stronger output per worker.

Average employee benefits expense increased steadily from €38.93 thousand in 2021 to €44.88 thousand in 2024. This reflects rising labour costs per employee over the period and may be presented as a sign of higher compensation levels.

Figure 11

The gross operating rate fell from 13.15% in 2021 to 11.72% in 2023, before recovering slightly to 12.19% in 2024. This suggests that profitability margins came under pressure after 2021, but that there was a modest improvement in 2024.

Figure 12

Source data for graphs

SBS overview data

Data sources

SBS provide answers to questions on the wealth creation (value added), investment and labour input of different economic activities. The data can be used to analyse structural shifts, for example between industry and services, country specialisations in particular activities, sectoral productivity and profitability, as well as a range of other topics. Because they are available with an analysis by enterprise size class, SBS also illustrate the relative role of large enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which is of particular use to EU policymakers and analysts wishing to focus on entrepreneurship and the role of SMEs and large enterprises in stimulating economic performance and job creation. Furthermore, SBS provide useful background information for an interpretation of short-term statistics and the business cycle.

Coverage, units and classifications

Structural business statistics cover the 'business economy', which includes industry, construction and many services (NACE Rev. 2 sections B to N, P to R as well as division S95 and S96). Structural business statistics do not cover agriculture, forestry and fishing, nor public administration. Structural business statistics describe the business economy through the observation of units engaged in an economic activity; the unit in structural business statistics is generally the enterprise. An enterprise carries out one or more activities, at one or more locations, and it may comprise one or more legal units. Enterprises that are active in more than one economic activity (plus the value added and turnover they generate, the people they employ, and so on) are classified under the NACE heading corresponding to their principal activity; this is normally the one which generates the largest amount of value added.

NACE Rev. 2 was adopted at the end of 2006 and implemented in structural business statistics from the 2008 reference year. Compared with NACE Rev. 1.1, this has enabled a broader and more detailed set of information to be compiled on services, while also updating the classification to identify new areas of activity better.

Starting with the reference year 2021, Structural Business Statistics are compiled under the legal basis of the EU regulation 2019/2152 on European business statistics and its implementing act, EU regulation 2020/1197 on technical specifications and arrangements.

Size class and regional analysis

Structural business statistics are also available with an analysis by region or by enterprise size class. In structural business statistics, size classes are defined by the number of persons employed, except for specific data series within retail trade activities where turnover size classes are also used. A limited set of the standard structural business statistics variables (for example, the number of enterprises, turnover, value added and persons employed) is analyzed by size class, mostly down to the three-digit (group) level of NACE. For statistical purposes, SMEs are generally defined as those enterprises employing fewer than 250 . The number of size classes available varies according to the activity under consideration. However, the main groups used in this article are:

small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): with less than 250 persons employed, further divided into;
micro enterprises: with less than 10 persons employed;
small enterprises: with 10 to 49 persons employed;
medium-sized enterprises: with 50 to 249 persons employed;
large enterprises: with 250 or more persons employed.

Structural business statistics contain a comprehensive set of basic variables describing business demographics and employment characteristics, as well as monetary variables (mainly concerning operating income and expenditure, or investment). In addition, a set of derived indicators has been compiled: for example, ratios of monetary characteristics or per head values.

Context

With the single market strategy the European Commission plans to make the single market simpler, seamless and strong – unlocking its full potential for citizens, workers and businesses. It focuses on removing the most harmful barriers, reducing red tape, promoting investment and ensuring fair competition. The single market has already raised EU GDP by 3–4% and created 3.6 million jobs. Completing it could double these gains.
The strategy also gives particular importance to services, where the Single Market remains underdeveloped despite services representing most of the EU economy. It proposes a more sector-specific approach, with planned initiatives for construction, industry-related services such as installation and maintenance, retail, postal and delivery services, digital networks, rail ticketing, paperless mobility and cross-border car rentals. It also links the Single Market agenda to broader work on financial services, energy, telecommunications and transport integration.
SMEs are often referred to as the backbone of the European economy, providing a potential source for both jobs and economic growth. Within the Single Market strategy SMEs are treated as a priority because they are especially affected by fragmentation and administrative burden. The strategy introduces measures such as an SME ID tool, stronger use of the SME Envoys network, more systematic SME-friendly lawmaking, and a new category and support package for small mid-caps to make scaling up easier. It also includes actions on intellectual property, sustainability reporting and access to sustainable finance.

Explore further

Database

Thematic section

Publications

European Business Statistics Methodological Manual for Structural Business Statistics - 2024 edition
Recent Eurostat publications on SBS
Key figures on Europe – 2026 edition – see subchapter on Business
Eurostat’s Regional Yearbook – see chapter 8. Business
Recent Eurostat publications on BD

Methodology