Here’s a startling fact: nearly half of the European Union’s regions have already hit or surpassed the ambitious 78% employment rate target set for 2030. But here’s where it gets controversial—while some regions are thriving, others are struggling to keep up, raising questions about economic equality across the EU. In 2024, the EU’s overall employment rate reached a historic high of 75.8%, yet it still falls 2.2 percentage points short of the goal outlined in the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan. This gap highlights both progress and persistent challenges.
Digging deeper, 46.5% of EU regions—113 out of 243—have met or exceeded the 78% target. These high-performing regions are clustered in countries like Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovakia, and Sweden, where nearly all regions are leading the charge. Notably, Estonia, Cyprus, and Malta also join this elite group. At the top of the ladder, regions like Åland in Finland (86.4%), Warsaw in Poland (86.2%), and Bratislava in Slovakia (85.4%) boast employment rates above 85%, setting a benchmark for others.
And this is the part most people miss—the regions lagging behind often share common traits. Many are rural, sparsely populated, or located on the EU’s periphery. Southern Spain, Italy, Greece, parts of Romania, and France’s outermost regions exemplify this trend. Another group includes former industrial powerhouses that have struggled to adapt to economic shifts, such as those in northeast France and Wallonia, Belgium, where traditional sectors like coal mining and steel manufacturing have declined due to globalization.
Approximately 1 in 4 EU regions (65 out of 243) recorded employment rates below 73.5% in 2024. Among the hardest-hit are Calabria (48.5%) and Campania (49.4%) in southern Italy, Sicily (50.7%), and even capital regions like Brussels (64.1%), Lazio (69.0%), Vienna (70.6%), and Attica (71.0%). These disparities raise critical questions: Why are some regions thriving while others fall behind? And what can be done to bridge this gap?
Here’s a thought-provoking question for you: Is the EU’s employment target achievable for all regions, or does it unfairly disadvantage those with structural economic challenges? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
If you’re curious to learn more about regional labor market trends, dive into the Eurostat Regional Yearbook 2025, explore the interactive publication Regions in Europe, or check out the Statistical Atlas. These resources offer a wealth of insights into the complexities of employment across the EU. What’s your take on the EU’s employment goals? Let’s start a conversation!
