Labor force — all countries

Labor force — European Union

Labor force in the European Union in 2025 — 221,676,603 people. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 16.9%.

2025 222M people −0.09% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 222M people2024
Period minimum 190M people1990

Trend over time

1990–2025 · people

Labor force — European Union, 1990–2025180M190M200M210M220M230M19901994199820022006201020142018202220251990: 189,651,701 people1991: 191,639,771 people1992: 191,353,999 people1993: 191,460,639 people1994: 192,029,518 people1995: 192,106,944 people1996: 193,088,651 people1997: 193,922,790 people1998: 195,047,752 people1999: 196,526,270 people2000: 197,119,935 people2001: 197,723,098 people2002: 199,347,341 people2003: 201,402,828 people2004: 202,977,707 people2005: 205,283,504 people2006: 207,222,668 people2007: 208,631,573 people2008: 210,385,919 people2009: 210,152,852 people2010: 211,084,691 people2011: 210,669,487 people2012: 212,061,855 people2013: 212,414,813 people2014: 212,792,619 people2015: 213,365,352 people2016: 214,192,623 people2017: 215,289,490 people2018: 216,045,580 people2019: 216,922,893 people2020: 214,368,725 people2021: 216,270,955 people2022: 218,967,280 people2023: 221,211,061 people2024: 221,865,826 people2025: 221,676,603 people
Change over the period: +32.02M (+16.89%) Average annual rate: 0.45 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: European Union

European Union 222M people
World 3.74B people
Labor force — European Union, by year European Union All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 222M −189,223 −0.09%
2024 222M +654,765 +0.3%
2023 221M +2.24M +1.02%
2022 219M +2.7M +1.25%
2021 216M +1.9M +0.89%
2020 214M −2.55M −1.18%
2019 217M +877,313 +0.41%
2018 216M +756,090 +0.35%
2017 215M +1.1M +0.51%
2016 214M +827,271 +0.39%
2015 213M +572,733 +0.27%
2014 213M +377,806 +0.18%
2013 212M +352,958 +0.17%
2012 212M +1.39M +0.66%
2011 211M −415,204 −0.2%
2010 211M +931,839 +0.44%
2009 210M −233,067 −0.11%
2008 210M +1.75M +0.84%
2007 209M +1.41M +0.68%
2006 207M +1.94M +0.94%
2005 205M +2.31M +1.14%
2004 203M +1.57M +0.78%
2003 201M +2.06M +1.03%
2002 199M +1.62M +0.82%
2001 198M +603,163 +0.31%
2000 197M +593,665 +0.3%
1999 197M +1.48M +0.76%
1998 195M +1.12M +0.58%
1997 194M +834,139 +0.43%
1996 193M +981,707 +0.51%
1995 192M +77,426 +0.04%
1994 192M +568,879 +0.3%
1993 191M +106,640 +0.06%
1992 191M −285,772 −0.15%
1991 192M +1.99M +1.05%
1990 190M

About the indicator

The economically active population — everyone aged 15 and over who either works or actively looks for work. It covers the employed, the unemployed and first-time job seekers; it leaves out students, homemakers and other people who do not offer their labor on the market. The size of the labor force is the basic constraint on the growth potential of an economy.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.