Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Euro area

Self-employed in the Euro area in 2025 — 13.9%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 3.9 pp.

2025 13.9% −0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 18.2%1994
Period minimum 13.9%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Euro area, 1991–2025121416182019911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 17.8%1992: 18.1%1993: 18%1994: 18.2%1995: 18.2%1996: 18%1997: 17.9%1998: 17.7%1999: 17.3%2000: 16.9%2001: 16.8%2002: 16.6%2003: 16.6%2004: 16.9%2005: 16.7%2006: 16.7%2007: 16.3%2008: 16%2009: 15.9%2010: 15.9%2011: 15.8%2012: 15.7%2013: 15.6%2014: 15.6%2015: 15.4%2016: 15.1%2017: 14.8%2018: 14.6%2019: 14.4%2020: 14.4%2021: 14.3%2022: 14.2%2023: 14%2024: 14%2025: 13.9%
Change over the period: −3.9 pp Annual average: -0.11 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Euro area

Euro area 13.9%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — Euro area, by year Euro area All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 13.9 −0.1 pp
2024 14 +0 pp
2023 14 −0.2 pp
2022 14.2 −0.2 pp
2021 14.3 −0.1 pp
2020 14.4 −0 pp
2019 14.4 −0.1 pp
2018 14.6 −0.2 pp
2017 14.8 −0.3 pp
2016 15.1 −0.3 pp
2015 15.4 −0.2 pp
2014 15.6 −0.1 pp
2013 15.6 −0.1 pp
2012 15.7 −0.1 pp
2011 15.8 −0.1 pp
2010 15.9 −0 pp
2009 15.9 −0 pp
2008 16 −0.3 pp
2007 16.3 −0.4 pp
2006 16.7 −0 pp
2005 16.7 −0.1 pp
2004 16.9 +0.3 pp
2003 16.6 +0 pp
2002 16.6 −0.2 pp
2001 16.8 −0.1 pp
2000 16.9 −0.4 pp
1999 17.3 −0.4 pp
1998 17.7 −0.2 pp
1997 17.9 −0.1 pp
1996 18 −0.1 pp
1995 18.2 −0.1 pp
1994 18.2 +0.2 pp
1993 18 −0.1 pp
1992 18.1 +0.2 pp
1991 17.8

About the indicator

The share of total employment that is self-employed: employers, own-account workers, members of producers cooperatives and contributing family workers. High values in low-income countries reflect not developed entrepreneurship but the absence of wage jobs and informal work in agriculture and small-scale trade.

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