Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Eastern Europe

Self-employed in Eastern Europe in 2025 — 10.3%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 2.5 pp.

2025 10.3% −0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 16.2%2001
Period minimum 10.3%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Eastern Europe, 1991–2025101214161819911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 12.9%1992: 13.6%1993: 14.2%1994: 14.7%1995: 14.9%1996: 15.2%1997: 16.1%1998: 16.2%1999: 16.1%2000: 16.2%2001: 16.2%2002: 15.7%2003: 15.5%2004: 15%2005: 14.7%2006: 14.3%2007: 14.1%2008: 13.8%2009: 13.9%2010: 14.1%2011: 14%2012: 13.9%2013: 14%2014: 13.9%2015: 13.7%2016: 13.6%2017: 13.1%2018: 13%2019: 13%2020: 13%2021: 12.7%2022: 11%2023: 10.8%2024: 10.4%2025: 10.3%
Change over the period: −2.5 pp Annual average: -0.07 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe 10.3%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — Eastern Europe, by year Eastern Europe All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 10.3 −0.1 pp
2024 10.4 −0.4 pp
2023 10.8 −0.2 pp
2022 11 −1.7 pp
2021 12.7 −0.3 pp
2020 13 +0 pp
2019 13 −0 pp
2018 13 −0 pp
2017 13.1 −0.5 pp
2016 13.6 −0.1 pp
2015 13.7 −0.2 pp
2014 13.9 −0.1 pp
2013 14 +0.1 pp
2012 13.9 −0.1 pp
2011 14 −0.1 pp
2010 14.1 +0.2 pp
2009 13.9 +0.1 pp
2008 13.8 −0.3 pp
2007 14.1 −0.3 pp
2006 14.3 −0.4 pp
2005 14.7 −0.3 pp
2004 15 −0.5 pp
2003 15.5 −0.1 pp
2002 15.7 −0.5 pp
2001 16.2 +0 pp
2000 16.2 +0.1 pp
1999 16.1 −0.1 pp
1998 16.2 +0.1 pp
1997 16.1 +0.9 pp
1996 15.2 +0.3 pp
1995 14.9 +0.2 pp
1994 14.7 +0.5 pp
1993 14.2 +0.6 pp
1992 13.6 +0.8 pp
1991 12.9

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.