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Cyprus Outpaces Much Of The EU In Young Tertiary-Educated Workforce

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 4, 2026

Cyprus had one of the EU’s highest rates of tertiary education attainment among young adults in 2025, with 60% of people aged 25 to 34 holding a higher education qualification. The share has risen sharply from 41.3% in 2005, an increase of 18.7 percentage points. Cyprus was well above the EU average of 44.8% and exceeded the bloc’s 2030 target of 45%.

Cyprus Ranks Fourth In The EU

Only Ireland, at 66.8%, Luxembourg, at 65%, and Lithuania, at 60.8%, recorded higher tertiary attainment rates among 25- to 34-year-olds. Across the EU, the average increased from 27.2% in 2005 to 44.8% in 2025. Eurostat attributed part of the increase to sustained investment in higher education to meet demand for a more skilled labour force.

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Women Continue To Outpace Men

Women had significantly higher tertiary attainment rates than men across the EU in 2025. Among women aged 25 to 34, 50.5% had completed tertiary education, compared with 39.3% of men.

The gap has persisted even as attainment has increased for both groups, pointing to differences in educational participation that remain relevant for policymakers and employers.

Cities Maintain An Education Advantage

Location also remains closely linked to educational attainment. Across the EU, 55% of 25- to 34-year-olds living in cities had completed tertiary education in 2025.

The rate fell to 38.4% in towns and suburbs and 32.9% in rural areas. The differences reflect, among other factors, greater access in urban areas to universities, training institutions and labor markets that demand higher qualifications.

Gains Vary Across Member States

Every EU member state recorded an increase in tertiary attainment between 2005 and 2025, but the scale of the change varied considerably. Malta recorded the largest increase, at 29.9 percentage points, followed by Luxembourg at 28 percentage points and Ireland at 25.9 percentage points. Finland recorded the smallest increase, at 0.7 percentage points.

Romania’s rate rose by 9.5 percentage points, while Estonia’s increased by 11.2 percentage points. Eurostat said changes in higher education structures, including reforms associated with the Bologna process and shorter degree programs, also contributed to the broader increase.

Education Supports Cyprus’ Talent Base

For Cyprus, the 60% attainment rate places a large share of its younger population among the most highly educated in the EU. This provides a comparatively strong formal education base as employers seek specialised skills, digital capabilities, and qualifications for higher-value sectors. Cyprus’ rate also places the country well above the EU’s 2030 benchmark.

Across Europe, the long-term rise in tertiary education attainment is reshaping the pool of workers entering the labor market, with younger generations increasingly holding qualifications aligned with more skill-intensive jobs.

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Europe’s Busiest Ports Show The Scale Of Maritime Trade

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 7, 2026

Maritime transport carried roughly 13 billion tonnes of goods worldwide in 2024, highlighting its central role in global trade and supply chains. EU ports handled about 3.4 billion tonnes, or 26% of the global total, while nearly 90% of the bloc’s external freight trade is carried by sea.

Rotterdam And Antwerp-Bruges Lead The EU

Rotterdam was the EU’s busiest port in 2024, handling 397.3 million tonnes of goods. Antwerp-Bruges ranked second with 243.7 million tonnes, putting the two northern European hubs well ahead of the rest.

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Hamburg ranked third at 97 million tonnes, followed by Spain’s Algeciras at 81.5 million tonnes and Amsterdam at 78.8 million tonnes. France’s HAROPA port complex, covering Le Havre and Rouen, handled 76.6 million tonnes, while Gdansk recorded 71 million tonnes.

Marseille and Valencia followed with 66 million and 64.5 million tonnes, respectively. Romania’s Constanta completed the top 10 at 57.6 million tonnes, reflecting the Black Sea’s role in Europe’s wider trade network.

Europe’s Second Tier Of Major Ports

Several ports handled between 40 million and 56 million tonnes in 2024. Barcelona recorded 55.5 million tonnes, followed by Trieste at 53.5 million, Genoa at 47.4 million and Sines at 44.1 million.

Piraeus handled 43.7 million tonnes, while Germany’s Bremerhaven recorded 42.5 million. Sweden’s Göteborg handled 38.5 million tonnes and Dunkerque in France 36.8 million.

Netherlands Leads By National Port Volume

Looking at total cargo across each country’s ports, the Netherlands ranked first with 538.1 million tonnes in 2024. Italy followed with 488.6 million tonnes and Spain with 486 million tonnes, putting all three well ahead of the rest of the EU.

Belgium ranked fourth at 274.9 million tonnes, followed by Germany at 273.9 million and France at 269.8 million. Greece, Sweden and Poland each handled more than 100 million tonnes, showing the breadth of Europe’s maritime network.

Turkey Expands The Regional Picture

Including EU candidate countries and EFTA members puts Turkey in second place with 524.7 million tonnes, behind the Netherlands. Norway ranked eighth with 212.1 million tonnes and handled 212.1 million tonnes.

The European Commission has described maritime transport as a long-standing driver of European economic development. Its role now extends beyond moving cargo, with ports increasingly tied to supply chains, energy security and industrial policy.

In March 2026, the Commission adopted two strategies focused on competitiveness, sustainability, security and resilience across the EU’s waterborne sector, including ports, shipping and shipbuilding.