While large enterprises – employing more than 249 people – comprise only 0.2% of the total number of businesses in the EU, together they generated €19.9 trillion in turnover last year.
This is more than half (51.3%) of the total turnover generated by all enterprises in the European Union (€38.7 trillion), according to Eurostat.
There are some 55,000 large enterprises operating across the EU, out of a total of 33.5 million enterprises overall. Large enterprises employ 59.7 million people, which is more than a third (36.3%) of the entire labour force.
Small and medium enterprises
Medium-sized enterprises – those employing between 50 and 249 people – account for just 0.8% of the total number of enterprises in the EU’s business economy, and 15.2% of its total employment.
In numerical terms, this equates to around 251,000 enterprises, and 24.9 million employees. Medium-sized businesses generated a turnover of €6.6 trillion last year, 17.2% of the EU total.
The sizeable majority (99%) of companies in the EU business economy, or 33.2 million, were micro and small enterprises, which employ up to 49 people.
Together, these micro and small enterprises accounted for almost half (48.5%) of the EU employment, or 80 million people. Collectively, they generated €12.2 trillion in net turnover, which is close to a third (31.5%) of the total business turnover of the EU.
Sector by sector
On a sector-by-sector basis, services accounted for the majority (63.4%) of enterprises, employing some 21.2 million and generating €12.6 trillion in turnover (32.6% of the EU total).
Industry accounted for 7.3% of the total number of enterprises, but generated a similar turnover to services (€12.3 trillion). Elsewhere, trade represented 17.2% of all enterprises and generated €11.5 trillion in turnover (29.7% of the EU total), while construction represented 12.1% of all enterprises, and generated €2.3 trillion in turnover (6.0% of the EU total). Read more here.
