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Large Enterprises: The Economic Powerhouse of the European Union

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

December 10, 2025

Introduction

Recent Eurostat data has underscored the pivotal role of large enterprises in driving the economic engine of the European Union in 2024. Although these firms represent only a fractional segment of the 33.5 million total companies, they have managed to generate over half of the net turnover, solidifying their position as the backbone of the EU economy.

The Economic Impact of Large Firms

Large enterprises, defined as companies with more than 249 employees, amount to just 0.2% of EU businesses — roughly 55,000 firms. Yet, their contribution to net turnover is commanding, with a total of €19.9 trillion, equivalent to 51.3% of the overall €38.7 trillion turnover. This impressive performance is mirrored by their employment figures, as these companies employ approximately 59.7 million individuals, or 36.3% of the EU business labor force.

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Medium and Small Enterprises: The Broader Landscape

In contrast, medium-sized enterprises (50 to 249 employees) make up 0.8% of all EU companies, totaling around 251,000 firms. They contribute €6.6 trillion in turnover (17.2% of the total) and employ 24.9 million people, accounting for 15.2% of business employment. Micro and small enterprises, which comprise 99.0% of the company base with 33.2 million firms, hold their own in employment by engaging 80 million workers (48.5% of the labor force) and produce €12.2 trillion in net turnover (31.5%).

Sector Performance and Economic Distribution

The sectoral analysis reveals further nuances in EU economic dynamics. The services sector leads with €12.6 trillion in turnover (32.6% of the total), is home to 21.2 million firms (63.4% of all enterprises), and employs 86.5 million people (52.7% of business employment). The industrial sector, while representing only 7.3% of enterprises (2.5 million firms), generated €12.3 trillion in turnover (31.7%) and engaged 33.6 million employees (20.5%). Meanwhile, the trade sector accounted for €11.5 trillion in turnover (29.7%), involved 5.8 million firms (17.2% of total establishments), and employed 30.1 million workers (18.3%). The construction sector, though robust with 4.0 million firms (12.1% of the enterprise total), contributed €2.3 trillion in turnover (6.0%) and employed 14.0 million individuals (8.5%).

Conclusion

The data clearly illustrates that while large enterprises are few in number, they are decisive players in the EU economic landscape. Their disproportionate impact on net turnover and employment underscores the critical role these companies play in shaping economic policy and strategy within the union. For businesses and policymakers alike, understanding these dynamics is essential for navigating the competitive European market landscape.

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Women Make Up A Majority Of The EU’s Science And Technology Workforce But The Real Gap Is Elsewhere

by News Editor

June 25, 2026

Women now make up the majority of the EU’s science and technology workforce. According to Eurostat, in 2025, more than 81.6 million people aged 15 to 74 were employed in science and technology occupations across the EU. Of those, 52.5% were women, equal to 42.8 million women. The number of women in these occupations rose by 27.9% compared with 2015, an increase of more than 9.3 million over a decade.

On the surface, the numbers resemble progress. However, Eurostat’s category requires context before that figure can be read accurately. The data refers to HRST, or Human Resources in Science and Technology, specifically people employed in science and technology occupations. These are roles where the main tasks require professional or technical knowledge in physical and life sciences, but also in social sciences and humanities. That definition is wider and broader than engineering, ICT, laboratory science, or high-tech research alone.

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Zooming In

The gender picture changes once the data moves from a wider definition of the workforce to the narrower scientist-and-engineer (research and manufacturing) subgroup.

Scientists and engineers represented almost a quarter of all people employed in science and technology in the EU in 2025. Eurostat describes scientists and engineers as often being the innovators at the centre of technology-led development, making them an important subgroup to focus on separately.

Women accounted for only 40.8% of scientists and engineers in 2025, despite making up more than half of the wider category. That share has increased by a mere 0.5 percentage points over the past decade. The absolute number of women working as scientists and engineers rose from 5.3 million in 2015 to 8.2 million in 2025, despite the push from national and international organisations to increase the number of women in the field. Europe has expanded the number of women in science and technology occupations over ten years. However, that expansion has not extended equally into the scientist-and-engineer subgroup, where much of Europe’s research and innovation work is conducted.

In 2025, of the 39.4 million women aged 25 to 64 working in science and technology occupations in the EU, 35.5 million worked in service activities. Only 2.7 million worked in manufacturing. Women accounted for 57.5% of science and technology employment in services, but only 31.3% in manufacturing.

In 2025, the highest shares of women employed in science and technology occupations were recorded in Latvia at 62.4%, followed by Hungary’s Great Plain and North region at 61.1%, Estonia at 60.5%, Poland’s Central macroregion at 60.4%, and Lithuania at 60.3%. No EU country recorded a majority of women among science and technology workers in manufacturing.

Break-down

Eurostat’s figures measure employment in broad science and technology occupations. They do not show job security, pay levels, management roles, promotion rates, research leadership, or whether women are concentrated in junior or senior workplace positions.

The classification of “senior” also requires additional explanation. Eurostat reports that 45.9% of science and technology workers aged 25 to 64 in the EU were classified as “senior” HRST in 2025. In this dataset, “senior” refers to workers aged 45 to 64. It does not mean senior manager, senior researcher, team lead, or decision-maker.

A high female share in the wider Human Resource Science and Technology (HRST) category does not parallel equal representation across scientists, engineers, manufacturing roles, senior posts, pay, research funding, or decision-making. These figures also reflect the occupational mix inside each country or region, not only structural progress across all areas of science and technology.

The Case Of Cyprus

Eurostat data places Cyprus’s overall science and technology employment at 37.2% of the labour force in 2025, slightly above the EU-27 figure of 36.9%, and above Greece at 26.8%, Malta at 33.9%, and Turkey at 18.2%. This figure covers the total share of the labour force employed in science and technology across all genders.

Progress Or Work-in-Progress?

52.5% in the broad category. 40.8% among scientists and engineers. 31.3% in manufacturing. Europe’s gender gap in science and technology hasn’t closed yet, and there is still work to be done to encourage and support more women to enter the field, especially in research and manufacturing.

Let’s not wait another decade for another couple of percentage points of hope.