Potential labour force (ILO modelled estimates) in European Union 27

European Union 27: Potential labour force (ILO modelled estimates) was 7,623 in 2027. ▼ Falling

Latest (2027)
7,623
Change on year
down 0.9%
Rank
44th
of 87 groups
All-time high
10,216
in 2014
All-time low
7,623
in 2027
Years of data
24
2004–2027

Potential labour force in European Union 27, 2004–2027

02.5k5.0k7.5k10.0k2004201520272004: 8.1k2005: 8.5k2006: 8.3k2007: 8.2k2008: 8.0k2009: 8.3k2010: 8.7k2011: 9.1k2012: 9.5k2013: 9.8k2014: 10.2k2015: 10.0k2016: 9.7k2017: 9.0k2018: 8.5k2019: 8.0k2020: 9.9k2021: 9.3k2022: 8.1k2023: 7.7k2024: 7.7k2025: 7.8k2026: 7.7k2027: 7.6k

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

In 2027, potential labour force in European Union 27 stood at 7,623. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.

The figure is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 15.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, potential labour force in European Union 27 peaked at 10,216 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 7,623, in 2027.

That places European Union 27 44th 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 24 years of available data.

Potential labour force (ILO modelled estimates) in European Union 27, year by year

Annual values for Potential labour force (ILO modelled estimates) in European Union 27, 2004 to 2027.
Year Value Change
2004 8,134 —
2005 8,476 +4.2%
2006 8,328 -1.7%
2007 8,212 -1.4%
2008 7,968 -3.0%
2009 8,253 +3.6%
2010 8,668 +5.0%
2011 9,132 +5.4%
2012 9,457 +3.6%
2013 9,764 +3.2%
2014 10,216 +4.6%
2015 9,980 -2.3%
2016 9,690 -2.9%
2017 8,982 -7.3%
2018 8,501 -5.4%
2019 8,024 -5.6%
2020 9,940 +23.9%
2021 9,291 -6.5%
2022 8,106 -12.8%
2023 7,699 -5.0%
2024 7,696 -0.0%
2025 7,758 +0.8%
2026 7,694 -0.8%
2027 7,623 -0.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 8,229 7,968 8,476 6
2010s 9,241 8,024 10,216 10
2020s 8,226 7,623 9,940 8

More work & labour data for European Union 27

All data for European Union 27 →

Frequently asked questions

What is potential labour force in European Union 27?
Potential labour force in European Union 27 was 7,623 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest potential labour force recorded in European Union 27?
The highest recorded value was 10,216 in 2014.
What is the lowest potential labour force recorded in European Union 27?
The lowest recorded value was 7,623 in 2027.
How does European Union 27 rank for potential labour force?
European Union 27 ranks 44th out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
Is potential labour force rising or falling in European Union 27?
Over the last ten years it is down 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this European Union 27 data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Potential labour force (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Potential labour force in European Union 27. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 11 October 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/potential-labour-force-ilo-modelled-estimates/european-union-27-2/

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About this data

Indicator
Potential labour force (ILO modelled estimates)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
87 places, 2,088 data points, 2004–2027
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. The potential labour force refers to persons not in employment who express an interest in this form of work but for whom existing conditions limit their active job search and/or their availability. This group is used to calculate alternative measures of labour underutilization. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.