In 2024, the EU had around 33.5 million enterprises, employing 164.2 million people. Those enterprises registered a net turnover of €38.7 trillion.
Although large enterprises (more than 249 people employed) represented only 0.2% of the total number of enterprises in the EU’s business economy (55 000 enterprises), they generated more than half (51.3%) of the net turnover (€19.9 trillion). They employed 36.3% of the labour force in the business economy (59.7 million people).
Medium-sized enterprises (50-249 people employed) constituted 0.8% of the total number of enterprises in the business economy (251 000) and 15.2% of its employment (24.9 million). These enterprises registered approximately one-fifth (17.2%) of the net turnover (€6.6 trillion).
Most companies in the EU business economy, 99.0% (33.2 million), were micro and small enterprises employing up to 49 people. Together, they accounted for almost half of the employment in businesses (48.5%, 80 million) and generated €12.2 trillion in net turnover, representing 31.5% of the total net turnover.
This information comes from the preliminary data on structural business statistics (SBS) for 2024, published by Eurostat today.
Source dataset: sbs_sc_ovw
Industry, trade and services: similar turnover, different employment levels
In 2024, the EU’s services sector registered the highest turnover at €12.6 trillion (32.6%) and the highest number of enterprises with 21.2 million (63.4% of the total number of enterprises). It also represented more than half of the business economy’s employment (86.5 million, 52.7%).
Industry generated 31.7% of the total net turnover in 2024 (€12.3 trillion). With only 7.3% of the total number of enterprises (2.5 million), it employed around one-fifth of the business labour force (33.6 million people, 20.5% of the total number of people employed).
Trade represented 29.7% (€11.5 trillion) of the total turnover but employed 18.3% of people (30.1 million). This sector represented 17.2% of all enterprises (5.8 million).
Construction had 12.1% (4.0 million) of the total number of enterprises, but only 6.0% (€2.3 trillion) of the total turnover. This sector employed 14.0 million people (8.5%).
Source dataset: sbs_sc_ovw