In 2021, the share of employed people in the EU population was 73.1%, corresponding to 189.7 million people. The labour market was affected by COVID-19 restrictions in 2020, showing a 1 percentage point (pp) decrease in the employment rate compared with 2019 (72.7% in the latter year), but then recovered in 2021 with a 0.4 pp increase compared with 2019.
Among the EU Member States, the employment rate was higher than 78% (one of the three targets set in the 2030 action plan of the European Pillar of Social Rights) in eight EU Member States. The Netherlands (81.7%), Sweden (80.7%) and Czechia (80.0%) registered the highest employment rates, with at least 8 out of 10 persons aged 20-64 in employment in 2021.
At the same time, less than 70% of the population aged 20 to 64 were employed in Croatia (68.2%), Spain (67.7%), Romania (67.1%), Italy (62.7%) and Greece (62.6%).
Source dataset: lfsi_emp_a
16 EU Member States reach or exceed the pre-pandemic level in 2021
Looking at the COVID-19 related impact on employment, in 2020, only four out of 27 EU Member States recorded an increase in the share of employed people, namely Malta, Poland, Croatia and Romania. However, the increase was below 0.5 pp. In that time, Austria (-2.0 pp), Spain (-2.3 pp), Greece (-2.5 pp) and Ireland (-2.9 pp) recorded the highest decreases in the employment rate.
In 2021, in 16 out of 27 EU Member States, the employment rate reached or exceeded the pre-pandemic level recorded in 2019. The largest increases from 2019 to 2021 were recorded in Poland (+3.1 pp), Romania (+2.0 pp) and Greece and Malta (both +1.8 pp).
On the other hand, 11 countries lagged behind, showing a 2021 employment rate lower than in 2019. The largest declines compared with 2019 were recorded in Latvia (-2.0 pp), Estonia and Austria (both -1.2 pp), Bulgaria (-1.1 pp) and Slovakia (-1.0 pp).
Source dataset: lfsi_emp_a
For more information:
- Statistics Explained article on employment - annual statistics
- Statistics Explained article on labour market in the light of the COVID 19 pandemic
- Dedicated section on the labour market including Labour force Survey (LFS)
- Database on employment and unemployment (LFS)
Notes:
- The European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council launched in 2017 the European Pillar of Social Rights, an Action Plan expressing principles and rights for fair and well-functioning labour markets and welfare systems in 21st century Europe. Reaching a 78% employment rate in the European Union is one of the three targets set for 2030.
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