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Key figures on Europe 2021 edition
FL AGSHIP
P U B L I C AT I O N S
List of countries Belgium BE Bulgaria BG Czechia CZ Denmark DK Germany DE Estonia EE Ireland IE Greece EL Spain ES France FR Croatia HR Italy IT Cyprus CY Latvia LV Lithuania LT Luxembourg LU Hungary HU Malta MT Netherlands NL Austria AT Poland PL Portugal PT Romania RO Slovenia SI Slovakia SK Finland FI Sweden SE Iceland IS Liechtenstein LI Norway NO Switzerland CH
Reykjavík
ICELAND
FINLAND
NORWAY Key figures on Europe 2021 edition
Helsinki
Oslo SWEDEN
Stockholm Tallinn
ESTONIA
Riga LATVIA
DENMARK
Dublin Copenhagen LITHUANIA
IRELAND Vilnius
NETHERLANDS
Amsterdam Berlin Warsaw
Brussels GERMANY POLAND
BELGIUM
LUXEMBOURG Prague
Paris Luxembourg
CZECHIA
SLOVAKIA
Vienna Bratislava
FRANCE LIECHTENSTEIN Budapest
Bern Vaduz AUSTRIA
SWITZERLAND HUNGARY
SLOVENIA
Ljubljana Zagreb ROMANIA
CROATIA
Bucharest
PORTUGAL
BULGARIA
Madrid ITALY Sofia
Lisbon
Rome
SPAIN
GREECE
Athens
0 500 km CYPRUS Nicosia
Valletta
MALTA
Key figures on Europe 2021 edition
Printed by Imprimerie Bietlot in Belgium Manuscript completed in May 2021 This document should not be considered as representative of the European Commission’s official position. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2021 © European Union, 2021 The reuse policy of European Commission documents is implemented based on Commission Decision 2011/833/EU of 12 December 2011 on the reuse of Commission documents (OJ L 330, 14.12.2011, p. 39). Except otherwise noted, the reuse of this document is authorised under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This means that reuse is allowed provided appropriate credit is given and any changes are indicated. For any use or reproduction of elements that are not owned by the European Union, permission may need to be sought directly from the respective rightholders. The European Union does not own the copyright in relation to the following elements: Maps, administrative boundaries © EuroGeographics © UN-FAO © Turkstat The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on the maps do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the European Union. Theme: General and regional statistics Collection: Flagship publications Print: ISBN 978-92-76-32161-3 ISSN 1830-7892 doi: 10.2785/308058 KS-EI-21-001-EN-C PDF: ISBN 978-92-76-32158-3 ISSN 2315-201X doi: 10.2785/290762 KS-EI-21-001-EN-N
Foreword
This fourth edition of Key figures on Europe follows on
from the success of the three previous editions. It aims to
provide intuitive visualisations, innovative data presentations
and concise text, so that users can rapidly obtain an
understanding of differences between EU Member States.
Key figures on Europe contains a selection of key indicators
for the European Union (EU) and its individual Member
States, drawing from the rich collection of data that are
available at Eurostat. It provides an insight into the current
situation and recent developments across the EU with regard
to people and society, the economy and business, and the
environment and natural resources. It is the first edition
showing data on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis during
2020. The latest data relating to the impact of the pandemic
are available from Eurostat’s European statistical recovery
dashboard (1).
You can find more information in Statistics Explained,
a portal that forms part of Eurostat’s official website,
presenting statistical topics in an easily understandable way.
The latest and most complete data can also be downloaded
from the Eurostat website.
I hope that you find this publication interesting and useful
both in your work and your daily life.
Mariana Kotzeva
Director-General, Eurostat
(1) See: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/cache/recovery-dashboard/.
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 3Abstract
Key figures on Europe presents a selection of statistical data on the European Union (EU).
Most data cover the EU and its Member States as well as the countries of the European
Free Trade Association (EFTA). This publication may be viewed as an introduction to EU
statistics and provides a starting point for those who wish to explore the wide range
of data that are freely available on Eurostat’s website at https:/ec.europa.eu/eurostat;
they are complemented by a comprehensive selection of online articles in Statistics
Explained.
Editors
Louise Corselli-Nordblad and Helene Strandell
Eurostat, Unit B4 — Dissemination and user support
Contact details
Eurostat
Bâtiment Joseph Bech
5, rue Alphonse Weicker
2721 Luxembourg
E-mail: estat-user-support@ec.europa.eu
Design
Publications Office of the European Union, Graphic Design Department
Production
This publication was produced by Giovanni Albertone, Simon Allen and Andrew Redpath
— INFORMA s.à r.l.
For more information please consult
Eurostat’s website: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat
Statistics Explained: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained
Acknowledgements
The editors of this publication would like to thank colleagues in Eurostat who were
involved in its preparation.
4 Key figures on Europe – 2021 editionTable of contents
Foreword 3
Introduction 6
1. People and society 9
Population10
Health15
Education18
Labour market 20
Living conditions 24
Digital society 27
2. Economy and business 31
Economy and finance 32
Prices34
Government finance 36
International trade 38
Business42
Research and development 49
Tourism50
3. Environment and natural resources 53
Transport54
Energy59
Environment64
Agriculture68
Fisheries69
Forestry70
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 5Introduction
Eurostat is the statistical office of the European Union economy and business (economy and finance,
(EU) situated in Luxembourg. Its mission is to provide prices, government finance, international trade,
high quality statistics for Europe, which allow us business, research and development, and tourism);
to have the key information on Europe’s economy, environment and natural resources (transport, energy,
society and environment that we need both as
environment, agriculture, fisheries and forestry).
citizens and as decision makers.
Key figures on Europe is published every year with Each chapter presents a set of key indicators: a great
annual data. This 2021 edition describes the situation deal more information can be found when consulting
in the EU and the EFTA countries, with the most Eurostat’s website, which contains subject specific
recent data generally for 2019 or 2020 depending publications and online databases covering a broad
on the source. As a consequence, the impact of the and comprehensive range of data.
COVID-19 pandemic and its associated measures in
2020 may be seen for a variety of indicators; datasets
reflecting the full scale and full length of the crisis will Data extraction and coverage
only be available in future editions.
Data extraction
Structure of the publication The statistical data presented in this publication were
extracted in late April and early May 2021.
Key figures on Europe provides users of official
statistics with an overview of the wealth of Spatial data coverage
information that is available on Eurostat’s website and
within its online databases. It has been conceived to This publication presents information for the EU (a
offer a balanced set of indicators for a broad cross- sum/average covering the 27 Member States of the
section of information covering socioeconomic and
EU) as well as the individual EU Member States and
environmental developments in the EU.
the four EFTA countries. The order of the Member
Key figures on Europe is divided into an introduction States in the figures usually reflects their ranking
and three main chapters. The introduction includes according to the values for (one of) the indicator(s)
information concerning data coverage and more
illustrated.
generally how to access European statistics and
supporting sources of information. The main The map identifies the EU Member States and EFTA
chapters treat the following areas: people and countries as well as pinpointing their capital cities.
society (population, health, education, the labour
market, living conditions and the digital society);
6 Key figures on Europe – 2021 editionCodes for EU Member States and in order to allow more space for the illustrations. The
publication includes only the main notes required for
EFTA countries
interpretation of the data and to highlight when a year
BE Belgium IT Italy RO Romania has been replaced with another. A full set of notes and
BG Bulgaria CY Cyprus SI Slovenia flags are available on Eurostat’s website via online data
CZ Czechia LV Latvia SK Slovakia code(s) presented for each illustration.
DK Denmark LT Lithuania FI Finland
DE Germany LU Luxembourg SE Sweden
Accessing European statistics
EE Estonia HU Hungary
IE Ireland MT Malta IS Iceland The simplest way to obtain Eurostat’s wide range
LI Liechtenstein of statistical information is through its website
EL Greece NL Netherlands
NO Norway (https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat). Eurostat provides users
ES Spain AT Austria
CH Switzerland with free access to its databases and its publications
FR France PL Poland
HR Croatia PT Portugal in portable document format (PDF). The website
is updated daily and presents the latest and most
comprehensive statistical information available on the
EU, its Member States, EFTA and enlargement countries
Temporal data coverage (for some datasets information may be provided for a
wider range of non-member countries).
If data for a reference year (or reference period) are
not available for a particular country, then efforts have Eurostat online data codes, such as nama_10_gdp,
been made to complete the coverage using data for allow easy access to the most recent data on Eurostat’s
recent previous reference years (these exceptions are website (https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database).
footnoted). Particular attention should be paid to these In this publication these online data codes are given as
deviations when the standard reference year is 2020, as part of the source below each illustration.
for some indicators — particularly those impacted by Some of the indicators presented in this publication
the COVID-19 pandemic — large changes in 2020 mean are relatively complex. Statistics Explained provides
that earlier data may not be a good proxy for missing a comprehensive online glossary with definitions
2020 data. for a broad range of statistical indicators, concepts
and terms; it is organised under thematic headings
Notes and flags (https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/
Notes and flags are means of explaining and defining index.php?title=Thematic_glossaries).
specific characteristics of particular data. In this
publication, these have been restricted as far as possible
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 71 People
and society1 People and society
Population
Population
EU
(million inhabitants, 1 January 2020)
447 million
FI
SE 5.5
10.3
DK 1.3 EE
NL 5.8 1.9
17.4 LV
LT
BE 2.8
11.5 0.6
IE DE
5.0
83.2
LU PL
38.0
FR
67.3 10.7
CZ
SK
AT 5.5
8.9
2.1 HU
ES SI
9.8
IT HR
47.3 59.6 4.1 RO
PT 19.3
10.3
BG
7.0
0.5
Source: Eurostat (online data code: demo_gind) EL
MT
10.7
0.9
CY
In recent years, the total number of inhabitants in the There are considerable differences in population
EU has grown at a relatively slow pace (compared levels between EU Member States: on 1 January
with historical developments). By 1 January 2020, the 2020, the total number of inhabitants ranged from
population of the EU had reached 447.3 million, which 0.5 million in Malta up to 83.2 million in Germany.
was 873 thousand more than a year before. Together, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Poland
comprised 66.0 % of the EU’s population.
10 Key figures on Europe – 2021 editionPeople and society 1
Population developments
(millions and % share of world total, EU, mid-year 1960-2080)
1960 2020 2080 Million inhabitants
550 13 (left scale)
Share of world
500 11 population
450 9 (right scale)
Source: Eurostat (online data
400 7 codes: demo_gind and
proj_19np) and United Nations
350 5 (World Population Prospects:
the 2019 Revision)
300 3
In 1974, the EU’s share of the global population fell
250 (449.3 million inhabitants), after
1 which it is projected to
below 10.0 % and this downward pattern continued fall back to 419.1 million by 2080. These developments,
through to 2019, by when the EU accounted for coupled with faster population growth in the rest of
5.9 % of the total number of inhabitants in the world. the world, mean that it is projected that less than 1 in
According to mid-year estimates based on Eurostat’s 25 people in the world — 3.9 % — will be living in the
baseline projections, the population of the EU will EU by 2080.
continue growing, albeit slowly, up until the year 2026
Population change
(% of total population, 2010-2020)
EU overall change
1.5 %
25
20
15
10
5
0
-5
-10
-15
LU
MT
IS
SE
CH
NO
IE
CY
LI
AT
BE
NL
FR
FI
SI
CZ
ES
DE
IT
PL
EE
HU
PT
EL
RO
HR
BG
LT
LV
DK
SK
EU
Natural change Net migration and statistical adjustments Total change
Between 1 January 2010 and 2020, the EU’s the number of inhabitants (more deaths than births)
population rose by 6.7 million (or 1.5 %). The rate of in Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Croatia, Romania, Greece,
population increase was highest in Luxembourg, with Portugal and Poland was reinforced by net outward
the population increasing overall by almost one fifth migration (more people emigrating than immigrants
(19.8 %); at the other end of the range, the biggest arriving) leading to a decline in population numbers.
reductions in percentage terms took place in Latvia There was also an overall decline in the populations of
(-11.2 %) and Lithuania (-12.5 %). A natural decrease in Hungary and Estonia, despite net inward migration.
Source: Eurostat (online data code: demo_gind)
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 111 People and society
1.86 FR
Fertility rate Ageing population
(live births per woman, 2019) (ratio: number of people aged 20-64
years per older person aged 65+ years,
In developed world countries, a total EU, 2001, 2020 and 2080)
fertility rate of 2.1 is considered to be the
1.77 RO replacement level: in other words, this
is the average number of live births per
1.74 IS woman that is required to keep the total
number of inhabitants at a constant level
1.71 CZ, IE, SE (in the absence of migration).
1.70 DK 2001
In 2019, the total fertility rate in the EU
averaged 1.53 live births per woman. This 3.9
1.66 EE rate ranged from a high of 1.86 live births
per woman in France down to 1.14 in
2020
Malta; the fertility rate was also relatively
1.61 LV, LT, SI low in many of the other southern EU 2.9
Member States — Spain, Italy, Cyprus
1.58 BE, BG
and Greece — as each had a rate of
1.57 NL, SK
1.35 or less, which was also the case in
1.55 HU Luxembourg and Finland.
1.54 DE
1.53 EU, NO Source: Eurostat (online data code: demo_find)
1.48 LI, CH
1.47 HR 2080
1.46 AT
1.44 PL
1.6
1.43 PT
Population ageing has been observed across much
of Europe in recent decades. Changes in population
1.35 FI structure can have serious implications for issues
1.34 EL, LU such as pension funds, government revenues and the
1.33 CY
provision of services such as health and social care.
The ratio of the size of the working-age population
(defined here as those aged between 20 and 64
1.27 IT years) in the EU expressed relative to the number of
older persons (aged 65 years or over) fell from 3.9 in
EU average 2001 to 2.9 by 2020; according to Eurostat’s baseline
1.23 ES
1.5 births
projections, this ratio is expected to fall to 1.6 by
2080.
per woman Source: Eurostat (online data codes: demo_pjanind and proj_19np)
1.14 MT
12 Key figures on Europe – 2021 editionPeople and society 1
Population by citizenship
(% share of total population, 1 January 2020)
EU
3.0
LU LI CH MT 4.9
38.7
8.5
17.9
16.3
16.1
9.1
10.3
9.8 92.1
52.6 65.8 74.7 79.9
CY AT EE LV On 1 January 2020, there were
13.4 8.5 1.5 0.3 36.5 million foreign citizens living
4.8 8.0 13.5 13.3 in the EU; this figure was composed
81.9 83.3 84.9 86.3
of 13.5 million citizens from EU
Member States other than the one
where they were resident, and
IS IE BE DE
11.1 7.0 8.0 5.3 23.0 million citizens from non-
2.4 6.0 4.5 7.2 member countries; note, the latter
86.4 87.0 87.4 87.5 value includes a small number of
stateless persons.
In relative terms, foreign citizens
NO ES DK SE
6.6 3.6 3.6 3.0 accounted for 7.9 % of the total
4.6 7.4 5.4 5.9 population in the EU, with this share
88.7 89.0 90.8 90.9 ranging from almost half (47.3 %) of
the population in Luxembourg to
less than 1.0 % Romania and Poland.
EL IT FR SI A majority (20) of the EU Member
1.6 2.5 2.2 1.0 States reported a higher number of
6.8 6.0 5.5 6.5
91.5 91.6 92.4 92.5 non-EU citizens than foreign citizens
from other EU Member States within
their populations.
NL PT CZ FI
3.3 1.5 2.2 1.7
3.3 4.3 3.3 3.0 Citizens of other
93.2 94.3 94.5 95.2 EU Member States
Non-EU citizens
National citizens
LT HR HU BG
0.3 0.5 0.8 0.1
2.0 1.7 1.2 1.4 Note: due to rounding, some totals may not
97.6 97.8 98.0 98.3 sum to 100.0 %. Citizens of other EU Member
States for CY and MT include the UK. Citizens
of non-EU Member States for CY and MT
exclude the UK. EU includes data for CY and
MT (as noted).
SK PL RO
Source: Eurostat (online data code:
1.1 0.1 0.3 migr_pop1ctz)
0.4 0.9 0.4
98.6 99.1 99.3
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 131 People and society
(number per
First time asylum applications 100 000 inhabitants,
(number of applications in EU Member States, 2020) 2020)
Having peaked during the migrant crisis of 2015/2016, the number of first time asylum 845 CY
applications to the EU fell rapidly. There were 417 185 applications in 2020, equivalent
to just 0.1 % of the EU population. The highest number of asylum applications in 2020 468 MT
came from Syrian citizens (63 505), followed by Afghani (44 220) and Venezuelan 353 EL
(30 325) citizens. The largest numbers of applications were lodged in Germany (102 580),
207 LU
Spain (86 385) and France (81 790); however, in relative terms Cyprus and Malta (845 and
468 applications per 100 000 inhabitants) received the most applications. 183 ES
Syria Germany 172 IS
63 505 102 580
165 SI
145 AT
132 SE
Afghanistan
44 220 123 DE
Spain
121 FR
86 385 113 CH
Venezuela
30 325 112 BE
93 EU
Colombia
29 055 79 NL
France 77 LI
Iraq 81 790
50 BG
16 240
38 HR
Turkey
15 955 36 IT
Pakistan 31 RO
13 905 Greece
37 860 31 IE
Georgia
10 485 26 FI
Nigeria
Italy 25 NO
10 095
21 220
Iran 25 DK
9 570 Netherlands 9 LT
Other world 13 720
173 830 9 PT
Sweden
13 630 8 LV
Belgium 7 CZ
Total applicants 12 930
to the EU 5 SK
Austria
417 200 12 925
Other EU
4
3
PL
EE
34 145
1 HU
Note: rounded data. Includes only applications made by non-EU citizens. Source: Eurostat (online data codes:
migr_asyappctza, and demo_gind)
14 Key figures on Europe – 2021 editionPeople and society 1
Health
Developments for life expectancy at birth
(years, by sex, EU, 2002-2019)
86 In 2019, life expectancy at birth in the EU
84 was 84.0 years for women and 78.5 years
for men. Between 2002 and 2019 this
82
gender gap narrowed, as life expectancy
80 in the EU increased by 3.1 years for
78 women and 4.2 years for men.
76 Women
74 Both sexes
72 Men
2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
Source: Eurostat (online data code: demo_mlexpec)
Life expectancy at birth
(years, by sex, 2019)
Women EU
Both sexes
Men
81 years
88
86
84
82
80
78
76
74
72
70
68
EU
LI
ES
CH
IT
SE
IS
FR
NO
MT
IE
LU
CY
NL
BE
FI
AT
PT
EL
SI
DE
CZ
EE
HR
PL
LT
HU
RO
BG
LV
DK
SK
Source: Eurostat (online data code: demo_mlexpec)
Across the EU, the highest average (for both sexes) life expectancy
at birth was recorded in Spain (at 84.0 years), while the lowest
was in Bulgaria (75.1 years). A gender gap — with higher life
expectancy for women — existed in every EU Member State,
with particularly large differences between the sexes in Lithuania
(9.6 years), Latvia (9.2 years) and Estonia (8.5 years); the smallest
gaps were recorded in the Netherlands (3.1 years), Sweden
(3.3 years) and Malta (3.4 years).
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 151 People and society
Weekly deaths
(deaths, by age, EU, week 1 of 2020 to week 8 of 2021)
2020 2021
140 000
Week , Week ,
(starting ..) (starting ..)
120 000
100 000
Week ,
(starting
..)
80 000
60 000
40 000
20 000
0
5
0
k2
k7
k1
k5
0
5
0
5
0
5
0
k5
k1
k1
k2
k2
k3
k3
k4
k4
e
e
e
e
We
We
We
We
e
e
e
e
e
e
e
e
e
We
We
We
We
We
We
We
We
We
8040
Less than years or over From In
years 402020,
to 59 there
years were 5.2 million
From 60 todeaths in the EU (excluding
79 years 80 years orIreland).
over Compared
Unknown
From 60 to 79 years with 2019, this represented an increase of 619 000 deaths in absolute terms
From 40 to 59 years
and 13.4 % in relative terms.
Less than 40 years The number of deaths in any particular week of 2020 varied greatly, in large
Unknown part reflecting the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. Two periods stand out with
a notably higher number of deaths: the first was a quite sharp peak centred
around the week 14 of 2020 (beginning 30.03.2020); the second was a longer
period starting around the end of September and reaching a plateau in the
middle of November (with a peak at the end of November / beginning of
December) that was sustained into the beginning of 2021. Between these
two periods, the lowest weekly number of deaths in 2020 was observed in
week 25 of 2020 (beginning 15.06.2020).
Note: excluding IE and some deaths for SE for which the precise week of death is not available —
in 2020 this concerned 2.7 % of all deaths in SE.
Source: Eurostat (online data code: demo_r_mwk_20)
16 Key figures on Europe – 2021 editionPeople and society 1
Excess mortality, developments in the EU
(%, compared with average monthly deaths (during the period 2016-2019), EU, 2019-2021)
50
40
30
2020
20
10 2021
0
2019
-10
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Note: excluding IE. Source: Eurostat (online data codes: demo_mexrt and demo_mmonth)
Excess mortality, developments in the Member States
(%, compared with average monthly deaths (during the period 2016-2019), 2020)
100
Jan-20
80 Mar-20
May-20
60 Jul-20
Sep-20
40 Nov-20
20
0
-20
-40
LI
SI
ES
PL
BE
CZ
IT
CH
BG
RO
LT
MT
CY
NL
PT
AT
FR
LU
HR
HU
SE
EL
DE
EE
FI
IS
NO
LV
SK
DK
EU
Note: ranked on the average monthly excess mortality for the whole of Source: Eurostat (online data code: demo_mexrt)
2020. IE: not available. EU: excluding IE.
Due principally to the COVID-19 crisis, excess mortality in 2020 was much more volatile than in 2019
(which can be considered to be a more regular year). While there were fewer deaths in the EU in
January and February 2020 than was typical (during the period 2016-2019), for all other months of
2020 the number of deaths was above average. Particularly high numbers of deaths compared with
the average were recorded in March, April, October, November and December 2020; this was also
the case in January 2021. Excess mortality was relatively high in spring 2020 in Spain and Italy and
was particularly high towards the end of 2020 in Poland, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Czechia.
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 171 People and society
100 FR, LU, NO
99 CZ, RO, FI
98 EE, SK
Education
95 HR Early leavers from education and training
92 SI (% share of people aged 18-24 years, by sex, 2020)
91 LI
25
86 BE EU
83 LV 20
10.1 %
80 SE
15
75 PL
73 BG
10
69 NL
67 HU
65 MT, AT 5
60 EU
59 DE 0
MT
ES
RO
IS
IT
BG
HU
CY
DE
NO
PT
LU
FI
BE
AT
FR
SE
CZ
EE
NL
LT
PL
IE
SI
CH
EL
HR
LV
DK
SK
EU
56 IS
Men Both sexes Women Note: early leavers are defined
as people who have attained
at most a lower secondary
The risk of poverty, unemployment or social exclusion is higher among education and who are not
49 DK
people leaving school at a relatively young age. In 2020, the share of involved in further education or
training.
early leavers in the EU was 10.1 %, ranging from 16.7 % in Malta to 2.2 %
Source: Eurostat (online data
in Croatia. Young men in the EU (12.0 %) were more likely than young code: edat_lfse_14)
women (8.1 %) to be early leavers.
38 LT, CY
60 %
of general upper
Learning two or more foreign languages secondary pupils
27 ES in the EU studied
(% share of students in general upper secondary Hallo!
25 IT two or more foreign
education, 2019) Hello! languages
Bonjour ! in 2018
Some 60 % of general upper secondary students in the EU
(2018 data) were studying two or more foreign languages.
In 2019, at least 99 % of all general upper secondary
13 IE students in Luxembourg (2018 data), France, Romania,
Czechia and Finland were studying two or more foreign
languages, compared with less than 15 % in Ireland (2018
data), Portugal and Greece.
6 PT
Note: 2018 data for EU, DK, EE, IE, IT, LU and NO.
1 EL Source: Eurostat (online data code: educ_uoe_lang02)
18 Key figures on Europe – 2020 editionPeople and society 1
Young people neither in employment nor in IT 19.0
education and training
(% share of people aged 15-24 years, 2020)
The share of young people (aged 15-24 years) neither in employment
nor in education and training (NEET) concerns people who were not
employed and had not received any form of education or training
during a specified period of time. In 2020, the NEET rate for young
people in the EU stood at 11.1 %. The rate in Italy (19.0 %) was more
than four times as high as in the Netherlands (4.5 %).
Source: Eurostat (online data code: edat_lfse_20)
RO 14.8
BG, CY 14.4
Fields of study for university graduates 4.0 million
university graduates in the EU
ES 13.9
(number and % share of graduates, by sex, EU, 2018)
EL 13.2
In 2018, there were 4.0 million tertiary education graduates
across the EU: female university graduates (2.3 million)
outnumbered their male counterparts (1.7 million).
HR 12.2
This pattern of more female than male graduates IE 12.0
was repeated for a majority of university disciplines HU 11.7
.
and was particularly apparent among those FR 11.4
who had studied education (almost four times as
many female as male graduates). By contrast, there were million
.
million
EU 11.1
LT 10.8
almost four times as many male as female graduates among women men
SK 10.7
those having studied information and communication
technologies.
Business, Engineering,
administration manufacturing and Health Arts and FI 9.3
and law construction and welfare Education humanities BE, MT 9.2
PT 9.1
EE 8.9
PL 8.6
. . . . . . . . . .
1.4 1.0 2.9 3.9 2.1 AT 8.0
1.0 2.5 1.0 1.0 1.0 SI 7.7
DK, DE 7.4
LV 7.1
Social sciences, Natural sciences, Information and Agriculture,
journalism and mathematics communication forestry, fisheries
information and statistics Services technologies and veterinary CZ, LU 6.6
SE 6.5
CH 6.4
IS 6.1
. . . . . . . . . .
2.1 1.1 1.0 1.0 1.0
1.0 1.0 1.0 3.8 1.0
NO 4.9
Note: ranked on total for both sexes. Source: Eurostat (online data NL 4.5
Women Men
codes: educ_uoe_grad01
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 191 People and society
Labour market
Change in the labour force composition
(%, EU, 2020 compared with 2019)
PEOPLE AGED 15-74 YEARS 0.1 %
A.
A1.2
Own-
A1.3
Contributing
4.4 %
LABOUR A1. A1.1 account family A1.4
A1.4a
Part-time
A1.4b
Temporary 2.0 %
FORCE Employed Employers workers workers Employees employees employees
0.9 % 1.3 % 0.1 % A2. B.
1.7 % 1.5 % 2.7 % Unem-
ployed
PEOPLE
OUTSIDE
4.7 % THE LABOUR
FORCE
Note: employers are self-employed persons with employees;
own-account workers are self-employed persons without employees.
Source: Eurostat (online data codes: lfsa_pganws, lfsa_egaps, lfsa_eftpt and lfsa_etgaed) 11.2 %
Change in the labour force composition by age group
(%, EU, 2020 compared with 2019)
7.0 %
4.8 %
3.3 % Aged 15-24 years
2.6 %
0.8 % 0.8 % 1.2 % 1.4 % Aged 25-49 years
Aged 50-74 years
-1.5 % -1.9 %
-3.8 %
-5.7 % Source: Eurostat
People outside (online data
Labour force Employed Unemployed the labour force code: lfsa_pganws)
The COVID-19 crisis impacted heavily on labour employees, large falls were observed for the number
markets in the EU Member States, softened to some of part-time workers (down 2.7 %) and temporary
extent by efforts of national governments to support employees (down 11.2 %).
businesses and employment.
The fall in the number of persons in employment
While the population aged 15-74 years in the EU was relatively high for younger workers (aged
hardly changed between 2019 and 2020, the size of 15-24 years; down 5.7 %), while there was a small
the labour force contracted by 0.9 % and the number increase in the number of older workers (aged
of people outside the labour force expanded by 50-74 years) in employment (up 0.8 %). The increases in
2.0 %. Within the labour force, the number of persons unemployment and the number of people outside the
in employment fell by 1.3 %, while the number of labour force were larger for younger workers (up 7.0 %
unemployed persons increased by 4.3 %. Among and 2.6 %) than for older workers (up 1.2 % and 1.4 %).
20 Key figures on Europe – 2021 editionPeople and society 1
Employment rate
(% share of population aged 20-64 years, 2019 and 2020)
The EU employment rate — which measures the Between 2019 and 2020, the employment rate in the
share of the population aged 20-64 years who were EU fell by 0.8 percentage points, largely due to the
in work — stood at 72.3 % in 2020. There were three COVID-19 crisis. This was the first fall observed since
EU Member State where at least 80.0 % of adults aged the low reached in 2013 following on from the global
20-64 years were in employment in 2020 — Sweden financial and economic crisis and the subsequent
(80.8 %), the Netherlands and Germany (both 80.0 %). sovereign debt crisis. Malta, Poland and Croatia were
At the other end of the range, less than 70.0 % of this the only EU Member States that did not record a fall
age group were in employment in Croatia (66.9 %), in their employment rate in 2020. The largest decline,
Spain (65.7 %), Italy (62.6 %) and Greece (61.1 %). down 2.3 percentage points, was observed in Spain.
MT and PL ES
+0.6 -2.3
points EU
points
88 -0.8
points
86
84
82
80
78
76
74
72
70
68
66
64
62
60
MT
PL
HR
NL
EL
RO
FR
HU
CH
BE
CZ
DE
LU
FI
NO
CY
SI
IT
AT
SE
PT
EE
LT
BG
IE
ES
IS
LV
DK
SK
EU
2019 2020 Note: ranked on the change (in percentage Source: Eurostat (online data code: lfsa_ergan)
points) between 2019 and 2020.
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 211 People and society
Unemployment rate developments
(% share of labour force, EU, 2002-2020)
25
People aged
15-24 years
20
Total
(people aged
15 15-74 years)
People aged
10 50-74 years
Source: Eurostat
5 (online data code:
lfsa_urgan)
0
2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
In 2008, the EU unemployment rate for people aged by 2019. In 2020, as labour markets were hit by the
15-74 years hit a low of 7.2 %. In the wake of the global COVID-19 crisis, this rate increased again, reaching 7.1 %.
financial and economic crisis, the unemployment rate The EU youth (people aged 15-24 years) unemployment
rose sharply, peaking at 11.4 % in 2013. During the rate was 16.9 % in 2020, which was 3.4 times as high
following six years, there was a considerable reduction as the unemployment rate for persons aged 50-74
in this rate, as the EU unemployment rate fell to 6.7 % years (4.9 %).
EL
Unemployment rate -1.0
(% share of labour force aged 15-74 years, 2019 and 2020)
points
20
EE EU
16 +2.4 +0.4
points points
12
8
4
0
EE
LT
IS
SE
ES
LU
RO
FI
HR
AT
HU
BG
IE
NO
DE
MT
CZ
CY
SI
PT
NL
CH
BE
PL
FR
IT
EL
LV
SK
DK
EU
2019 2020 Note: ranked on change (in percentage Source: Eurostat (online data code: une_rt_a)
points) between 2019 and 2020.
In 2020, among the EU Member States the highest Poland, with the rate in Czechia (2.6 %) even lower.
unemployment rate for people aged 15-74 years Between 2019 and 2020, the unemployment rate
was recorded in Greece (16.3 %), while Spain also fell in Greece, Italy, France and Poland, while it grew
recorded a double-digit rate (15.5 %). Relatively low elsewhere. The largest increases were in the Baltic
unemployment rates — within the range of 3.2-3.8 % Member States, up 1.8 percentage points in Latvia,
— were recorded in Germany, the Netherlands and 2.2 points in Lithuania and 2.4 points in Estonia.
22 Key figures on Europe – 2021 editionPeople and society 1
Gender pay gap
(difference between average gross hourly earnings of male and female
employees, as a percentage of earnings for male employees, 2019)
EE 21.7
LV 21.2
The unadjusted AT 19.9
gender pay gap DE 19.2
provides an overall CZ 18.9
picture of the differences SK 18.4
in pay between men CH 18.3
and women. It measures HU 18.2
the gap in earnings FI 16.6
between male and female FR 16.5
employees in industry, Women in the EU
NL 14.6 earn on average
construction and services EU 14.1
among enterprises with 10
or more employees.
BG 14.1 14 %
less than men
DK 14.0
In 2019, average hourly IS 13.8
earnings for women were LT 13.3
14.1 % lower than those NO 13.2
for men across the EU. The ES 11.9
earnings of women were more SE 11.8
than 20.0 % lower than those MT 11.6
of men in Latvia (21.2 %) and HR 11.5
Estonia (21.7 %). By contrast, the IE 11.3
gender pay gap was less than PT 10.6
5.0 % in Italy (4.7 %), Romania EL 10.4
(3.3 %) and Luxembourg (1.3 %). CY 10.1
PL 8.5
SI 7.9
BE 5.8
Note: 2018 data for IE, EL, IS, NO and CH. IT 4.7
Source: Eurostat (online data code: RO 3.3
earn_gr_gpgr2) LU 1.3
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 231 People and society
Living conditions
32.8 BG
31.2 RO
People at risk of poverty or social exclusion
(million persons, EU, 2019)
30.0 EL
Severely materially In 2019, 91.4 million people, or 20.9 % of
People deprived people
at risk
the EU population, were at risk of poverty
of poverty 23.9 or social exclusion. This means that they
72.1 were in at least one of the following three
conditions: at risk of poverty after social
27.3 LV 9.4 transfers; severely materially deprived;
or living in a household with low work
26.3 LT intensity. The greatest risk of poverty or
25.6 IT
7.9 social exclusion was from income poverty,
1.2 in other words, people who were at risk of
25.3 ES 5.4 poverty after social transfers: this condition
24.3 EE touched 72.1 million people across the EU
47.6 8.7 in 2019, among which 24.5 million were
23.3 HR 11.2 affected at the same time by one or both of
the other two conditions. Compared with
22.3 CY five years earlier, there were 15.4 million
21.6 PT
fewer people at risk of poverty or social
exclusion in 2019.
20.9 EU People living in a
20.6 IE, LU Source: Eurostat (online data code: ilc_pees01)
household with very
20.1 MT low work intensity
19.5 BE 26.5
18.9 HU Proportion of people
18.8 SE, CH in the EU at risk of
poverty or social
18.2 PL
exclusion
17.9 FR
17.4
16.9
DE
AT People at risk of poverty
21 %
16.5 NL or social exclusion
16.4 SK
16.3 DK (% share of total population, 2019)
16.1 NO
In 2019, the share of the population that was at risk
15.6 FI
of poverty or social exclusion peaked, among the EU
Member States, at 32.8 % in Bulgaria. At least 30.0 % of
14.4 SI the population in Romania and Greece were also at risk of
poverty or social exclusion. At the other end of the range,
less than one in six people in the Netherlands, Slovakia,
Denmark, Finland and Slovenia were at risk of poverty or
12.5 CZ
social exclusion, with a low of 12.5 % recorded in Czechia.
Note: 2018 data for IS.
11.0 IS Source: Eurostat (online data code: ilc_peps01)
24 Key figures on Europe – 2021 editionPeople and society 1
Inability to face unexpected financial expenses
(% share of total population, 2019)
HR
LV
EL
CY
LT
RO
IE
BG
ES
IT
HU
PT
SI
€
EE
EU
EU
€
FR 31 %
SK
PL
Material deprivation refers to the enforced
inability (rather than the choice not to do
FI
so) to pay for/afford specific expenses;
DE one example is unexpected financial
IS expenses. In 2019, a little less than one
BE third (30.9 %) of the EU population living
in private households were unable to face
NO
an unexpected financial expense. More
DK
than two fifths of the population were
NL unable to face an unexpected financial
CZ expense in six of the EU Member States,
SE with this share peaking in Croatia at
51.7 %. By contrast, a relatively small share
CH
of the population in Malta was unable to
AT face such expenses (15.1 %).
LU
Note: 2018 data for IS.
MT Source: Eurostat (online data code: ilc_mdes04)
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 251 People and society
Inability to afford paying for
one week annual holiday away from home
(% share of total population, 2019)
RO
EL
HR
CY
IT
HU
PT
LT
€ €
SK
BG
ES
PL
MT
IE Another component of the material
EU deprivation rate is the inability to afford
EU
LV 28 % one week of holiday away from home
each year. In 2019, some 28.0 % of the EU
EE population were unable to afford such a
BE holiday, with this share reaching two fifths
FR
or more of the population in Portugal,
Hungary, Italy, Cyprus, Croatia and Greece,
CZ
and peaking at 54.1 % in Romania. By
SI contrast, the share of the population that
NL was unable to afford one week’s holiday
AT away from home was around one tenth
in Sweden (10.2 %) and Luxembourg
DE
(10.1 %).
FI
Note: 2018 data for IS.
DK Source: Eurostat (online data code: ilc_mdes02)
SE
LU
CH
IS
NO
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
26 Key figures on Europe – 2021 editionPeople and society 1
Digital society DK, IS 99
LU, NO 98
Internet usage FI, SE, CH 97
(% share of people aged 16-74 years, 2020)
The internet has become an integral part of most people’s lives, changing the Note: 2019 data for FR
and CH.
way people study, work, communicate and enjoy their free time. In 2020, 88 %
Source: Eurostat
of adults (aged 16-74 years) in the EU declared they had used the internet during (online data code: DE, NL 94
the previous three months. This share ranged from 99 % in Denmark, 98 % in isoc_ci_ifp_iu)
Luxembourg and 97 % in Finland and Sweden to 70 % in Bulgaria. ES 93
BE 92
IE, CY 91
Internet activities SK 90
(% share of people aged 16-74 years, 2019)
EE, FR, LV 89
96 90 90
Sending/ Finding information Watching internet
75 receiving 70 about goods
65 streamed TV EU, CZ, AT 88
e-mails and services or videos
46 MT, SI 87
40
29
DK EU RO DK EU RO FI EU RO HU 85
94
85 85 Participating
Telephoning in social
63 or video calls 58
Internet
banking 57 networks LT, PL 83
48 42
12 €
CY EU FR DK EU RO DK EU FR
Using online
77 Seeking health 76 Listening learning material
56 information 53 to music
IT, EL, HR, 78
39
34 PT, RO
28
20 ABC
6
FI EU RO DK,FI EU RO DK EU RO
Highest value Across the EU, some of the internet activities most commonly
EU value performed in 2020 by people aged 16-74 years included: sending/
Lowest value receiving e-mails (75 %), finding information about goods and services
Note: 2019 data for FR, except for (70 %) and watching internet streamed TV or videos (65 %). A majority
watching internet streamed TV or of adults in the EU also used the internet for making telephone or
videos (2018 data).
Source: Eurostat (online data
video calls (63 %), internet banking (58 %), participating in social
code: isoc_ci_ac_i) networks (57 %), seeking health information (56 %) or listening to
music (53 %). BG 70
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 271 People and society
Internet activities
(% share of people aged 16-74 years, EU, 2019 and 2020)
ABC
Watching
internet Using online
Finding
information
€
Telephoning streamed TV learning about goods Internet
or videocalls or videos material and services banking
52 59 15 66 55
63 65 20 70 58
Paticipating Seeking Sending/
in social health receiving Listening
networks information e-mails to music
54 53 73 51
2019
57 56 75 53 2020
Note: ranked on the
The proportion of people in the EU having participated in many of the most change (in percentage
commonly performed internet activities continued to grow in 2020. As well as points) between 2019
and 2020. Watching
reflecting a continuation of the existing trend, this may also have reflected the internet streamed TV
impact of the COVID-19 crisis on people’s internet activities. However, it should be or videos, 2018 instead
of 2019.
noted that the survey used to collect information society statistics is conducted
Source: Eurostat (online
relatively early each year, and so it may have been too early to fully reflect the impact data code: isoc_ci_ac_i)
of the pandemic on internet usage.
Given the widespread use of remote learning for schools and tertiary education
during 2020, it is unsurprising that the share of the population using online learning
material increased, up 5 percentage points; note that a large part of the school-age
population (pupils aged less than 16 years) is not covered by these statistics.
28 Key figures on Europe – 2021 editionPeople and society 1
Using the internet for telephoning or video calls
(% share of people aged 16-74 years, 2019 and 2020)
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
CH
ES
LU
NL
IE
AT
FR
IT
PT
NO
CY
FI
BE
DE
EE
SI
SE
IS
HR
MT
CZ
HU
RO
EL
PL
LT
BG
LV
DK
SK
EU
2019 2020
The share of people aged 16-74 years using the internet to make telephone Note: ranked on change (in
percentage points) between 2019 and
or video calls increased 11 percentage points in 2020, repeating the 11 point 2020. FR: 2018 and 2019 data instead
increase in 2019. Particularly large increases in the of 2019 and 2020. CH: 2017 and 2019
data instead of 2019 and 2020.
use of the internet for this activity were recorded Source: Eurostat (online data code:
in Spain, Luxembourg (both up 23 points), the E isoc_ci_ac_i)
Netherlands (up 22 points) and Ireland (up +11 poU
in 202
ints
21 points). The smallest increases, all less than 0
5 points, were recorded in Latvia,
Lithuania and Bulgaria.
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 292 Economy
and business2 Economy and business
Economy and finance
GDP
(% share of EU total, 2020)
EU GDP
EUR 13 306 billion SE
FI
.
DK
.
.
NL
.
DE EE
. .
BE LV
IE
. LT .
. .
LU PL
. .
FR CZ
.
. AT
.
SK
.
HU
.
SI RO
HR
IT .
ES
. . . .
BG
PT .
EL
. .
MT
Gross domestic product (GDP) is an indicator used to measure
. CY
the size and performance of an economy; it provides information
.
on the total value of goods and services produced during a given
period. Within the EU, GDP was valued at EUR 13 306 billion in Source: Eurostat (online data code: nama_10_gdp)
2020. Germany had the largest economy among the EU Member
States (EUR 3 332 billion, or 25.0 % of the EU total), followed by
France (17.1 %) and Italy (12.4 %). At the other end of the range,
Malta (0.1 %) had the smallest economy in the EU.
32 Key figures on Europe – 2021 editionEconomy and business 2
Real change in GDP LU 260
(%, annual average, based on chain-linked volumes, EU, 2000-2020)
6
4
2
0
-2
-4
-6
-8
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
IE 193
Source: Eurostat (online data code: naida_10_gdp)
The real change in GDP shows the rate of change output was unchanged in 2013. Thereafter, the
in economic output having removed the effects EU economy progressively recovered, with annual
of price changes (inflation). Between 2000 and growth rates in the range of 1.6 % to 2.8 % per
2007, the EU economy grew each year, with annum between 2014 and 2019. In 2020, the CH 158
GDP rising in real terms by 0.9-3.9 % per annum. economy was heavily impacted by the COVID-19
From 2008 to 2013, the economy was strongly crisis (the direct health consequences and related NO 147
affected by the global financial and economic restrictions) and GDP fell by 6.1 %.
crisis, with GDP falling by 4.3 % in 2009 and by
a much smaller amount (-0.7 %) in 2012, while DK, IS 130
NL 128
AT 126
GDP per capita DE 120
(EU = 100, based on PPS, 2019) SE 119
BE 118
GDP per capita can be used to compare economic
FI 111
output of different sized countries. GDP per capita
31 170.00 FR 106
in the EU fell from EUR 31 170 per capita in 2019 MT 101
to EUR 29 660 per capita in 2020. As the cost of EU 100
living varies from place to place, the information IT 96
presented here has been adjusted to reflect price CZ 93
level differences using an artificial currency unit ES 91
called a purchasing power standard (PPS). Using CY 90
SI 89
this measure, the relative living standards of
EE, LT 84
individual EU Member States can be expressed in
PT 80
relation to the EU average set to equal 100. In 2019,
GDP per capita in the EU HU, PL 73
the highest value was recorded in Luxembourg,
SK, RO 70
EUR 31 170 where GDP per capita in PPS was slightly more than
two and a half times as high as the EU average. On
LV 69
EL 67
the other hand, GDP per capita in Bulgaria was just HR 65
over half (53 %) the EU average.
Source: Eurostat (online data code: nama_10_pc) BG 53
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 332 Economy and business
Prices
3.7 PL
3.4 HU
3.3 CZ
Inflation rate
(% annual rate of change, 2020)
Food and Housing, Household
non-alcoholic water and equipment and
The inflation rate shows the change in the beverages energy maintenance
price of a basket of consumer goods and
services. The latest information available 16.0 15.8 6.2
reveals that prices increased by 0.7 % in the 18.0 17.2 6.8
EU between 2019 and 2020, with annual
inflation peaking at 3.7 % in Poland. Eight EU
2.3 RO Member States recorded deflation in 2020,
the strongest being falls of 1.1 % in Cyprus
and 1.3 % in Greece.
2.0 SK
Source: Eurostat (online data code: prc_hicp_aind)
Alcoholic Miscellaneous
beverages, tobacco goods and
and narcotics services Communications
4.4 9.4 3.0
1.4 AT
Household budget structure 5.0 9.7 3.3
1.2 BG, IS, NO (% share of total household consumption
1.1 LT, NL expenditure, EU, 2019 and 2020)
0.8 MT The COVID-19 crisis impacted not only
0.7 EU, SE on overall economic activity, but also on Clothing
Health Education and footwear
household consumption patterns. The share
0.5 FR 5.0 1.0 5.8
of expenditure on several categories related
0.4 BE, DE, FI
to eating and living at home increased 5.2 5.2
0.3 DK 1.1
between 2019 and 2020. For example, there
0.1 LV
were increases of 2.0 percentage points for
0.0 HR, LU food and non-alcoholic beverages, 1.5 points
-0.1 IT, PT for housing, water and energy, 0.6 points for
household equipment and maintenance, and
Recreation Restaurants
-0.3 ES, SI 0.5 points for alcoholic beverages, tobacco and culture Transport and hotels
and narcotics. The counterbalance was lower
-0.5 IE 8.8 15.2 9.4
expenditure outside the home, most notably
-0.6 EE falls of 2.4 points for restaurants and hotels, 8.0 13.4 7.0
1.7 points for transport, and 0.8 points for
-0.8 CH
recreation and culture. 2019 2020
Note: ranked on change (in percentage points) between 2019 and
2020.
-1.1 CY
Source: Eurostat (online data code: prc_hicp_inw)
-1.3 EL
34 Key figures on Europe – 2021 editionEconomy and business 2
Comparative price levels
(EU = 100, 2019)
Food
and non-alcoholic Housing,
Total beverages water and energy Transport
CH
IS
NO
LU
DK
IE
SE
FI
NL
AT
BE
FR
DE
IT
ES
CY
MT
SI
PT
EL
EE
SK
LV
CZ
HR
LT
HU
PL
RO
BG
0 100 200 0 100 200 0 100 200 0 100 200
Price level indices measure price differences between countries (expressed in relation to Source: Eurostat (online
data code: prc_ppp_ind)
prices for the EU average set to equal 100). In 2019, the overall price level index peaked
in Luxembourg and Denmark at more than 40 % above the EU average, while price
levels were around half the EU average in Romania and Bulgaria. There was a relatively
low degree of variation in price levels for transport and for food and non-alcoholic
beverages, with the highest prices in Denmark (both 29 % above the EU average) and
the lowest in Romania (34 % below) for food and non-alcoholic beverages and Bulgaria
(32 % below) for transport. By contrast, the price of housing, water and energy displayed
a greater variation, from 82 % above the EU average in Ireland down to 63 % below in
Bulgaria.
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 352 Economy and business
Government finance
General government deficit/surplus
(% relative to GDP, 2019 and 2020)
4
3
2
1
0
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
-7
-8
-9
-10
-11
-12
SE
FI
RO
EE
BG
IE
DE
PT
HU
FR
NL
PL
CZ
LU
CY
BE
HR
IT
LT
ES
SI
AT
MT
EL
LV
SK
DK
EU
2019 2020 In 2020, the general government deficit across the EU was equivalent to
6.9 % of its GDP, a much larger deficit than recorded in 2019 (0.5 %) in large
Note: ranked on change (in
percentage points) of general part reflecting the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. All of the EU Member States
government deficit/surplus between recorded a budget deficit in 2020, ranging from 1.1 % of GDP in Denmark to
2019 and 2020.
11.0 % in Spain. The largest changes in government deficits/surpluses relative
Source: Eurostat (online data code:
gov_10dd_edpt1) to GDP between 2019 and 2020 were in Greece, Malta, Austria and Slovenia.
36 Key figures on Europe – 2021 editionEconomy and business 2
General government gross debt
(% relative to GDP, 2019 and 2020)
220
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
EU
EL
ES
CY
IT
FR
PT
BE
HR
SI
HU
AT
MT
RO
PL
LT
DE
EE
FI
CZ
NL
SE
BG
LU
IE
LV
SK
DK
2019 2020 Consolidated gross debt in the EU was 90.7 % of
Note: ranked on change (in percentage points) of consolidated GDP in 2020, up 13.2 percentage points from 77.5 %
gross debt between 2019 and 2020. in 2019 in large part reflecting the impact of the
Source: Eurostat (online data code: gov_10dd_edpt1) COVID-19 crisis. In 2020, consolidated debt was
highest in Greece at 205.6 %. Italy, Portugal, Spain,
Cyprus, France and Belgium recorded ratios of more
than 100 % when compared with GDP. The largest
increases in debt relative to GDP between 2019 and
2020 were in Greece, Spain, Cyprus and Italy, all up
more than 20.0 percentage points.
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 372 Economy and business
International trade
EU trade surplus
EUR 218 billion
International trade in goods
with non-member countries
(billion EUR, EU, 2002-2020)
In 2020, the EU exported goods to non-member
countries that were valued at EUR 1 932 billion, which was
EUR 218 billion higher than the value of its imported goods.
As a result, the EU recorded its ninth successive annual
trade surplus for goods. The COVID-19 crisis impacted on
the value of the trade in goods in 2020: exports were 9.4 %
lower than in 2019, while imports were 11.7 % lower.
2 200
2 000
1 800
1 600
1 400
1 200
1 000
800
600
400
200
0
-200
-400
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Exports Imports Trade balance Source: Eurostat (online data code:
ext_lt_intratrd)
38 Key figures on Europe – 2021 editionEconomy and business 2
Top 10 partners for EU international trade in goods
(% share of total, EU, 2020)
Norway Russia
2.5 4.1
2.5 5.6
China
United Kingdom Turkey (except
United States 14.4 3.6 Hong Kong)
18.3 9.8 3.6 10.5 Japan
11.8 Switzerland
22.4 2.8
South 3.2
7.4 Korea
6.3 2.3
India 2.6
1.7
1.9
Rest of
the world
32.4
30.3 EU exports EU imports
In 2020, the United States was the EU’s leading export There was a different picture for imports, as more
market, accounting for 18.3 % of the total value of than one fifth (22.4 %) of all goods imported into the
goods exported outside the EU. The second largest EU in 2020 originated from China (excluding Hong
export market for EU goods was the United Kingdom Kong). The United States was the second largest
with a 14.4 % share, followed by China (excluding country of origin for EU imports (11.8 %), followed by
Hong Kong; 10.5 %) and Switzerland (7.4 %). the United Kingdom (9.8 %) and Switzerland (6.3 %).
Note: the figure shows the share of EU imports from non-member
countries and the share of EU exports to non-member countries.
Source: Eurostat (online data code: ext_lt_maineu)
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 392 Economy and business
85 LU
International trade in goods with Member States Intra EU trade
(% share of total trade, 2020) 61 %
of total trade
In 2020, 61 % of the EU Member States’ trade in goods
concerned exchanges between Member States. The relative
80 SK
share of intra-EU trade peaked at 85 % in Luxembourg and
also accounted for three quarters or more of total trade in
Note: calculation based on the average
Slovakia, Czechia and Hungary. By contrast, the share of intra- value of exports and imports.
EU trade was 52 % in Cyprus and 40 % in Ireland (where the Source: Eurostat (online data codes:
76 CZ share of intra-EU trade was notably lower than in previous ext_lt_intratrd and ext_lt_intercc)
75 HU years as a result of the United Kingdom having left the EU).
74 RO
73 PT, HR, AT
71 EE, PL
70 LV
65 LI
International trade in services with non-member countries
63 BE, BG, LT, (billion EUR, EU, 2010-2020)
SI, FI
1 100 In recent years, there has been a rapid
61 EU increase in the value of world trade in
60 DK, FR, SE 1 000 services. This pattern was also observed
59 ES 900 across the EU, with the value of exports
increasing overall by 46.6 % between
800
57 DE, EL 2010 and 2020 and the value of imports
56 IS 700 by 53.3 %. Exports of services from
55 MT the EU to non-member countries
600
54 NL, IT were valued at EUR 867 billion while
500 imports into the EU were valued at
52 CY 400 EUR 807 billion. The EU ran a trade
surplus for services throughout the
300 period 2010-2020, with a peak recorded
200 in 2018 (EUR 131 billion). The COVID-19
crisis had a greater impact on the value
100
of the trade in services in 2020 than it
0 had on trade in goods: exports were
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
17.8 % lower than in 2019, while imports
45 CH
were 17.9 % lower. This reflected, at least
Exports Imports Trade balance in part, lower levels of travel.
Source: Eurostat (online data code: bop_its6_det)
40 IE
40 Key figures on Europe – 2021 editionEconomy and business 2
Top 10 partners for EU international trade in services
(% share of total, EU, 2019)
Norway
2.5 Russia
1.5 2.6
1.3
United Kingdom
United States 21.3 Switzerland
19.4 China
18.4 10.8 (except Hong Kong)
22.6 Bermuda 6.6 5.0
0.5 Japan
9.7 3.3 2.9
1.7
Singapore
2.9
2.6
Offshore
financial
centres
3.7
Rest of 8.5
the world
29.3
25.2
EU exports
EU imports
In 2019, the EU’s leading trade partners for services were the Note: the figure shows the share of EU imports
from non-member countries and the share of EU
United States and the United Kingdom. More than one fifth exports to non-member countries. Offshore financial
(21.3 %) of services exported from the EU were destined for centres exclude Singapore and Bermuda (for which
information is shown separately).
the United Kingdom, with a slightly lower share for the United
Source: Eurostat (online data code: bop_its6_tot)
States (19.4 %). Switzerland was the third largest trade partner for
the EU’s service exports (10.8 %). By contrast, the highest share
(22.6 %) of services imported into the EU from non-member
countries originated in the United States, while a lower share was
recorded for the United Kingdom (18.4 %).
Key figures on Europe – 2021 edition 412 Economy and business
Business
. .
Change in the structure of value added
.
(% share of total value added by sector, EU, 2000, 2019
.
and 2020)
Services
Services Industry
2000
Construction
2019 Agriculture,
forestry &
2020 fishing
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Between 2000 and 2020, the share of EU
total value added that was generated within
Industry 2000 the services sector rose from 69.2 % to
73.1 %, mainly due to increases in the output
2019
of professional, scientific and technical
2020 activities. By contrast, the relative share
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
of some other parts of the EU economy
contracted during the same period:
industry’s share went down from 22.6 %
to 19.4 %, while the share of agriculture,
2000 forestry and fishing fell from 2.5 % to 1.9 %.
The share of construction was 5.7 % in 2000
Construction
2019 and also in 2020; this masks an increase
2020 in the share between 2000 and 2008, a
stronger fall between 2008 and 2015, and a
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
recovery since then.
The share of services within the EU’s total
value added increased marginally between
Agriculture,
2000 2019 and 2020, rising from 73.0 % to 73.1 %.
forestry &
fishing However, the COVID-19 crisis led to a
2019 considerable contraction in activity for some
2020 particular service activities. For example, the
output of arts, entertainment and recreation,
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
other service activities, activities of
household and extra-territorial organizations
and bodies fell by 14.8 % between 2019
Note: the two time intervals between the three years
and 2020 (in current price terms), while
shown are not equal. the output of wholesale and retail trade,
Source: Eurostat (online data code: nama_10_a10) transport, accommodation and food service
activities fell by 11.5 %.
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