Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in European Union
European Union: Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) was 9.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in European Union, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
European Union recorded 9.9% for vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and down 16.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in European Union peaked at 15.3% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 9.9%, in 2025.
That places European Union 43rd out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in European Union, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 14.8% | — |
| 1992 | 15.2% | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 15.2% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 15.3% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 15.2% | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 15.1% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 15.0% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 14.8% | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 14.6% | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 14.3% | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 14.2% | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 13.7% | -3.6% |
| 2003 | 13.6% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 13.5% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 13.3% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 13.1% | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 12.8% | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 12.4% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 12.4% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 12.6% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 12.4% | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 12.4% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 12.2% | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 12.1% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 11.8% | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 11.5% | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 11.3% | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 11.0% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 10.9% | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 11.0% | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 10.6% | -3.9% |
| 2022 | 10.4% | -2.2% |
| 2023 | 10.2% | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 10.0% | -1.5% |
| 2025 | 9.9% | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.0% | 14.6% | 15.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 13.3% | 12.4% | 14.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.8% | 10.9% | 12.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.3% | 9.9% | 11.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
- 40 Ghana 60.0% compare
- 41 Malawi 59.9% compare
- 42 Timor-Leste 58.6% compare
- 43 Republic of Moldova 58.6% compare
- 44 Vanuatu 58.0% compare
- 45 Bangladesh 57.3% compare
- 46 Comoros 56.8% compare
More work & labour data for European Union
- 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 for ages 15-24, total (%) 40.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 70.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 75.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 81.9% (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in European Union?
- Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in European Union was 9.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 15.3% in 1994.
- What is the lowest vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.9% in 2025.
- How does European Union rank for vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment)?
- European Union ranks 43rd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this European Union data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Vulnerable employment is contributing family workers and own-account workers as a percentage of total employment.