Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Western Europe

Self-employed in Western Europe in 2025 — 11.6%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 0.7 pp.

2025 11.6% −0 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 12.6%1994
Period minimum 11.5%2020

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Western Europe, 1991–20251111.51212.51319911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 12.3%1992: 12.5%1993: 12.5%1994: 12.6%1995: 12.6%1996: 12.4%1997: 12.4%1998: 12.2%1999: 12%2000: 11.7%2001: 11.6%2002: 11.6%2003: 11.8%2004: 12%2005: 12.3%2006: 12.6%2007: 12.2%2008: 11.9%2009: 12.1%2010: 12.1%2011: 12.3%2012: 12.2%2013: 12.1%2014: 12.1%2015: 12%2016: 11.9%2017: 11.7%2018: 11.5%2019: 11.5%2020: 11.5%2021: 11.6%2022: 11.7%2023: 11.6%2024: 11.7%2025: 11.6%
Change over the period: −0.7 pp Annual average: -0.02 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Western Europe 11.6%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — Western Europe, by year Western Europe All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 11.6 −0 pp
2024 11.7 +0.1 pp
2023 11.6 −0.1 pp
2022 11.7 +0.1 pp
2021 11.6 +0.1 pp
2020 11.5 −0 pp
2019 11.5 −0 pp
2018 11.5 −0.2 pp
2017 11.7 −0.2 pp
2016 11.9 −0 pp
2015 12 −0.1 pp
2014 12.1 −0 pp
2013 12.1 −0.1 pp
2012 12.2 −0.1 pp
2011 12.3 +0.2 pp
2010 12.1 −0 pp
2009 12.1 +0.2 pp
2008 11.9 −0.3 pp
2007 12.2 −0.4 pp
2006 12.6 +0.3 pp
2005 12.3 +0.3 pp
2004 12 +0.2 pp
2003 11.8 +0.2 pp
2002 11.6 −0 pp
2001 11.6 −0.1 pp
2000 11.7 −0.3 pp
1999 12 −0.2 pp
1998 12.2 −0.2 pp
1997 12.4 +0 pp
1996 12.4 −0.2 pp
1995 12.6 −0 pp
1994 12.6 +0.2 pp
1993 12.5 −0.1 pp
1992 12.5 +0.2 pp
1991 12.3

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.