Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in European Union
European Union: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) was 64.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in European Union, 1983–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in European Union is 64.0%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in European Union peaked at 70.7% in 1983 and was at its lowest, 63.1%, in 2020.
That places European Union 23rd out of 24 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 43 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in European Union, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 70.7% | — |
| 1984 | 70.4% | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 70.2% | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 70.3% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 69.8% | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 69.5% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 69.3% | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 68.5% | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 68.1% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 68.2% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 67.8% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 67.3% | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 67.1% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 66.6% | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 65.6% | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 65.5% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 65.7% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 65.1% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 64.9% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 64.7% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 64.6% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 64.4% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 64.4% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 64.5% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 64.5% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 64.7% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 64.3% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 64.3% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 64.0% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 64.1% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 64.0% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 63.9% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 63.8% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 63.8% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 64.0% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 64.0% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 64.1% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 63.1% | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 63.3% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 63.7% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 64.0% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 64.1% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 64.0% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 70.0% | 69.3% | 70.7% | 7 |
| 1990s | 67.0% | 65.5% | 68.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.6% | 64.3% | 65.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.0% | 63.8% | 64.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.7% | 63.1% | 64.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
More work & labour data for European Union
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 75.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 57.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 63.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 81.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 51.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 38.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 43.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 70.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 40.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in European Union?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in European Union was 64.0% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 70.7% in 1983.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 63.1% in 2020.
- How does European Union rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- European Union ranks 23rd out of 24 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this European Union data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.