In 2005, the total number of enterprises in the EU27 non-financial business economy was almost 20 million. These enterprises generated 5 400 billion euro in value added and employed 127 million persons.

This pocketbook summarises the main features of European business: from the size and structure of business sectors to the importance of foreign controlled enterprises. It includes a special feature on the factors of business success, including an analysis of the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs for 15 Member States, and gives an insight into the issues that determine the success and growth of newly born enterprises, as well as the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they face.