Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in European Union 28
European Union 28: Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) was 57.21 in 2027. ▬ Flat
Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in European Union 28, 2000–2027
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
European Union 28 recorded 57.21 for labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in 2027.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in European Union 28 peaked at 58.25 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 55.9, in 2001.
That places European Union 28 59th out of 85 groups with data for 2027, putting it in the middle of the range.
Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in European Union 28, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 55.98 | — |
| 2001 | 55.9 | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 56.09 | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 56.3 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 56.37 | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 56.66 | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 56.91 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 56.98 | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 57.21 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 56.99 | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 57.1 | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 57.09 | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 57.34 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 57.35 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 57.38 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 57.41 | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 57.5 | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 57.68 | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 57.78 | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 57.85 | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 57.22 | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 57.6 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 58.04 | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 58.25 | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 58.1 | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 57.82 | -0.5% |
| 2026 | 57.52 | -0.5% |
| 2027 | 57.21 | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 56.54 | 55.9 | 57.21 | 10 |
| 2010s | 57.45 | 57.09 | 57.85 | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.72 | 57.21 | 58.25 | 8 |
Countries ranked near European Union 28
More work & labour data for European Union 28
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 254,923 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 57.21 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 190,645 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 53.96 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 0.8736 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate -0.3826 % change on previous year (2027)
- Employment (ILO modelled estimates) 242,261 (2025)
- Employment 242,261 (2025)
- Employment (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate -0.4712 % change on previous year (2025)
- Employment (ILO modelled estimates), annual growth rate -0.4712 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in European Union 28?
- Labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in European Union 28 was 57.21 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in European Union 28?
- The highest recorded value was 58.25 in 2023.
- What is the lowest labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in European Union 28?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.9 in 2001.
- How does European Union 28 rank for labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13)?
- European Union 28 ranks 59th out of 85 groups with data for 2027.
- Is labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) rising or falling in European Union 28?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this European Union 28 data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. The labour force participation rate is the labour force as a percent of the working-age population. The labour force is the sum of all persons of working age who are employed and those who are unemployed. For more information, refer to the Labour Force Statistics (LFS and STLFS) database description.