There were estimated to be approximately 26.1 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European Union in 2024, with the vast majority of these enterprises micro-sized firms which only employed fewer than nine people. A further 1.38 million enterprises were small firms with between 10 and 49 employees, while 210,170 were medium-sized firms that had 50 to 249 employers.
The contribution of SMEs to the European Economy
Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) form the backbone of the European economy. These companies comprise around 99.8 percent of all active businesses in Europe, while producing almost 52 percent of total value added in the EU. These companies are not just economically important to the continent however, as they also form an important part of the cultural fabric of European communities, with SMEs being particularly important for rural regions and smaller towns.
Almost 90 million employed by SMEs
In 2024 SME’s in the European Union employed almost 90 million people. In Europe’s biggest economy, Germany, SMEs employed 18.3 million people, with over 6.8 million people employed by small-sized enterprises alone.
Number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European Union from 2008 to 2024, by number of enterprises
The source adds the following information: The data cover the 'non-financial business economy', which includes industry, construction, trade, and services (NACE Rev. 2 sections B to J, L, M and N), but not enterprises in agriculture, forestry and fisheries and the largely non-market service sectors such as education and health. The following size-class definitions are applied: micro firms (0-9 persons employed), small firms (10-49 persons employed), medium-sized firms (50-249 persons employed), and large firms (250+ persons employed). The advantage of using Eurostat data is that the statistics are harmonised and comparable across countries. The disadvantage is that for some countries the data may be different from those published by national authorities.
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European Commission. (July 4, 2024). Number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European Union from 2008 to 2024, by number of enterprises [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 22, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/878412/number-of-smes-in-europe-by-size/
European Commission. "Number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European Union from 2008 to 2024, by number of enterprises." Chart. July 4, 2024. Statista. Accessed December 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/878412/number-of-smes-in-europe-by-size/
European Commission. (2024). Number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European Union from 2008 to 2024, by number of enterprises. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/878412/number-of-smes-in-europe-by-size/
European Commission. "Number of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (Smes) in The European Union from 2008 to 2024, by Number of Enterprises." Statista, Statista Inc., 4 Jul 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/878412/number-of-smes-in-europe-by-size/
European Commission, Number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European Union from 2008 to 2024, by number of enterprises Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/878412/number-of-smes-in-europe-by-size/ (last visited December 22, 2024)
Number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European Union from 2008 to 2024, by number of enterprises [Graph], European Commission, July 4, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/878412/number-of-smes-in-europe-by-size/
