LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization in Western Europe

Western Europe: LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization was 12.23 in 2027. ▼ Falling

Latest (2027)
12.23
Change on year
down 0.4%
Rank
54th
of 87 groups
All-time high
16.42
in 2009
All-time low
11.58
in 2022
Years of data
23
2005–2027

LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization in Western Europe, 2005–2027

0510152005201620272005: 15.72006: 15.32007: 14.72008: 15.52009: 16.42010: 16.12011: 14.92012: 14.82013: 15.52014: 15.62015: 15.42016: 14.62017: 13.72018: 12.72019: 11.92020: 13.32021: 12.82022: 11.62023: 11.62024: 11.82025: 12.12026: 12.32027: 12.2

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

In 2027, lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization in Western Europe stood at 12.23.

That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 10.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization in Western Europe peaked at 16.42 in 2009 and was at its lowest, 11.58, in 2022.

That places Western Europe 54th out of 87 groups with data for 2027, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.

LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization in Western Europe, year by year

Annual values for LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization (ILO modelled estimates) in Western Europe, 2005 to 2027.
Year Value Change
2005 15.72 —
2006 15.26 -2.9%
2007 14.75 -3.4%
2008 15.47 +4.9%
2009 16.42 +6.1%
2010 16.07 -2.1%
2011 14.94 -7.0%
2012 14.8 -0.9%
2013 15.47 +4.5%
2014 15.64 +1.1%
2015 15.39 -1.6%
2016 14.56 -5.4%
2017 13.71 -5.9%
2018 12.71 -7.3%
2019 11.88 -6.5%
2020 13.35 +12.3%
2021 12.81 -4.0%
2022 11.58 -9.6%
2023 11.6 +0.2%
2024 11.83 +2.0%
2025 12.12 +2.5%
2026 12.29 +1.3%
2027 12.23 -0.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 15.52 14.75 16.42 5
2010s 14.52 11.88 16.07 10
2020s 12.23 11.58 13.35 8

More work & labour data for Western Europe

All data for Western Europe →

Frequently asked questions

What is lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization in Western Europe?
Lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization in Western Europe was 12.23 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization recorded in Western Europe?
The highest recorded value was 16.42 in 2009.
What is the lowest lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization recorded in Western Europe?
The lowest recorded value was 11.58 in 2022.
How does Western Europe rank for lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization?
Western Europe ranks 54th out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
Is lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization rising or falling in Western Europe?
Over the last ten years it is down 10.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Western Europe data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization in Western Europe. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 26 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/lu4-composite-rate-of-labour-underutilization-ilo-modelled-estimates/western-europe/

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About this data

Indicator
LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization (ILO modelled estimates)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
87 places, 2,001 data points, 2005–2027
Last refreshed

Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. LU4 represents the share of the extended labour force that are in unemployment, time-related underemployment or the potential labour force. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.