EU economy: Foreign-owned firms generate nearly quarter of value added
Foreign-controlled enterprises made up just 1% of market producer businesses in the EU in 2024 but accounted for nearly a quarter of the bloc’s total value added and 16% of its workforce, according to Eurostat data, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Of these enterprises, 59% were controlled by entities based in other EU countries, while 41% were controlled by entities outside the bloc.
Luxembourg had the highest share of foreign-controlled enterprises, at 28%, followed by Estonia at 12%. In all other EU countries, the share was 5% or less, ranging from 0.3% in Poland and Italy to 5% in Croatia.
Foreign-controlled enterprises accounted for the largest shares of value added in Ireland (72%), Luxembourg (62%) and Slovakia (50%). The lowest shares were recorded in France (15%), Italy (18%) and Germany (18%).
Their share of employment was highest in Luxembourg, where they accounted for 45% of jobs. Ireland, Slovakia and Romania each recorded a 28% share. At the other end of the scale, foreign-controlled enterprises accounted for 8% of jobs in Greece and 10% in both Cyprus and Italy.
The figures cover only market producer enterprises – businesses whose output is mostly or entirely sold on the market – rather than all businesses in the economy.
Earlier, it was reported that about 175,000 auto workers took part in protests across Germany against job cuts and plant closures.