EN    EN EN 
 
EN 1   EN  EUROPEAN COMMISSION 
Brussels, 18.12.2009 
SEC(2009) 1706 
  
COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 
 
accompanying document to the 
REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO  THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN EC ONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND 
THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 
 
Equality between women and men — 2010 
 
{COM(2009) 694 final} 
 
 
EN 2   EN STATISTICAL ANNEX TO THE ANNUAL  REPORT ON EQUALITY BETWEEN 
WOMEN AND MEN 2010 
This statistical annex provides an overview of the situation of women and men in the EU, its 
evolution over time and remaining gender gaps in  various fields such as the labour market, 
work-life balance, social inclusion, education and presence in decision-making positions. Most of these indicators have already been presen ted in previous reports in order to facilitate 
the follow-up from one year to another. 
Female participation in the labour market and gender gaps 
The European Strategy for Jobs and Growth set th e target of reaching an employment rate for 
women of 60% by 2010. Over the last few years,  female employment has increased steadily, 
at a rate that was consistently higher than for men. The employment rate of women rose by 
4.2 percentage points (p.p.) between 2003 and 2008, from 54.9%  to 59.1%, wh ereas over the 
same period the employment rate of men in creased by 2.5 p.p., from 70.3% to 72.8%. As a 
result, the gap between women’s and men’s employment rates decreased from 15.4 p.p. in 
2003 to 13.7 p.p. in 2008. At nation al level, significant differen ces exist across  the EU: in 
three Member States (Malta, Italy and Greece) less than half of working-age women are in 
employment, whereas this proportion is a bove 70% in Denmark (74.3%), Sweden (71.8%) 
and the Netherlands (71.1%).  
The employment rate gap between women and men ranged from less than 5 p.p. in Finland 
and Sweden to more than 25 p.p. in Greece and Malta. Between 2003 and 2008, it narrowed 
in all Member States, except in seven (Slo vakia, Poland, Sweden, Bulgaria, the Czech 
Republic, Romania and Finla nd) where it widened.  
In general, the gender gap in employment rate  increases with age and is highest among older 
workers (55 to 64 years). In 2008, it was on average 18.2 p.p., down from 19.5 p.p. in 2003 
due to the strong increase in th e employment rates of women a bove 55 years, from 30.7% in 
2003 to 36.8% in 2008.  
Until the economic and financial crisis (see spec ific analysis below), the unemployment rates 
of both women and men had been decreasing, from 2003 to 2008. However, the decline was 
quicker for women (from 9.8% to 7.5%) than men (from 8.4% to 6.6%) and therefore the 
gender gap has been reduced, from 1.4 p.p. in 2003 to 0.9 p.p. in 2008. This decrease occurred 
notably in countries where the gap was the hi ghest in 2003 (Spain, Malta, Italy, Greece and 
the Czech Republic). 
Part-time employment and full-time  equivalent employment rates 
Women's participation in the labour market is still largely typified by a high and increasing 
share of part-time work . In 2008, the share of women empl oyees working part-time was 
31.1% in the EU-27 while the corresponding figure for men was 7.9%. The share of female 
part-timers exceeded 35% in Denmark and Luxembourg, 40% in Belgium, Sweden, Austria, the United Kingdom and Germany and even exceeded 75% in the Netherlands. Conversely, the share of part-timers among female workers was very low in Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary, 
Latvia, the Czech Republic and Lithuania. 
 
EN 3   EN Because of the high prevalence of part-time employment among female workers, the positive 
evolution of female labour market participa tion described above has to be qualified. In 
particular the employment rates measured in full-time equivale nt have increased at a much 
slower pace than the traditional measure (i n headcounts). When measured in full-time 
equivalent, not only is the gender gap much hi gher, but it has only slightly reduced over the 
last five years (from 21.2 p.p. in 2003 to 20.2 p.p. in 2008) and has even widened in nine 
Member States (Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Bulg aria, Romania, Lithuani a, Finland, the Czech 
Republic and Hungary).  
Growth potential of eliminating gender gaps in employment 
Many studies1 in the last decade have shown the positive impact that gender equality has on 
economic development. Gender equality can be a productive factor and female participation 
in the labour market has many economic and soci al benefits. Several studies have estimated 
the impact of an increase in female employme nt (or of a reduction of the gender gaps in 
employment) on economic growth. One of the most recent studies2 estimates the potential 
increase in GDP that would occur following the elimination of gender gaps, i.e. if women’s 
rates were to reach the level of men’s rates in terms of employment, part-time work and 
productivity (measured by wages). It concludes th at there could be a gain in GDP of almost 
30% for the EU as a whole if gender gaps were eliminated3. The gain ranges from less than 
20% in Slovenia, Bulgaria, Portugal, Latvia a nd Finland to 35% or more in Ireland, the United 
Kingdom, the Netherlands, Greece and Malta. Even if the limitations of th ese calculations and 
the risk of overestimation are recognised in this study, these figures show the great economic 
potential of reducing gender gaps (not only in employment rates but also in part-time working 
and in pay) in all EU Member States.  
Recent trends arising from the financial and economic crisis 
The economic and financial crisis  is having a strong impact on th e labour market situation of 
both women and men. Initially, the impact on men’s employment was greater than on 
women’s employment because the hardest-hit sectors since the crisis began, besides the 
financial sector, are manufacturing, construc tion and transport where male workers still 
account for the largest employment share.  
The EU average men’s unemploymen t rate has been rising faster  than the women’s rate and 
even exceeded it in recent months. From May 2008 (when un employment rates started to rise) 
to September 2009, the men’s unemployment rate rose from 6.4% to 9.3% while the female 
rate rose from 7.4% to 9%. However, women’s unemployment rates remain higher than men’s 
rates in half of the Member States. Mo reover, on average in the EU, the women’s 
unemployment rate remains higher than the men’s rate among persons aged 25 and more, 
                                                 
1 For a summary of the existing studies, see e.g. the analysis note by the Network of experts in gender 
and employment issues : M. Smith and F. Bettio, The economic case for gender equality , 2008 
(available at : http://ec.europa.eu/social/m ain.jsp?catId=748&langId=en ) 
2 A. Löfgren, Gender equality, economic growth and employment , 2009. This report was presented at the 
conference held under the Swedish Presidency ‘W hat does gender equality mean for growth and 
employment?’, Stockholm, 15-16 October 2009, and is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/social/Bl obServlet?docId=3988&langId=en
. 
3 For the EU-27 as a whole, the non-weighted average is 27  % but the average weig hted with population 
size of each Member State would be 28  % and the average weighted with GDP would be 29  %. 
 
EN 4   EN reflecting the fact that it is especially among young people that men are more affected by 
unemployment than women.  
It is important to consider not only the evol ution of the unemployme nt rates but also the 
employment rates, since not every person losing his/her job becomes registered as 
unemployed and in times of crisis the risk of exiting the labour market is significant. In one 
year (between second quarter 2008 and sec ond quarter 2009), male employment rates 
decreased by 2.1 p.p., while female employment rates stagnated (-0.3 p.p.). In most Member 
States, the male employment rate has decreased faster.  
However, it should be noted that the full impact of the crisis on the labou r market situation of 
women and men is not yet known. For instance, public administration is the fourth largest 
sector in terms of planned ne t job losses (after manufacturi ng, transport and the financial 
sector)4 and is highly feminised. It is therefore likely that the extension of the crisis to other 
sectors (i.e. other than the male dominated ones that were first hit by the recession) will have a strong impact on female employment, notably in the public sector, due to the likely reduction of public spending
5.  
Reconciliation between work, private and family life 
Parenthood has traditionally a significant long-te rm impact on women's participation in the 
labour market. This reflects women's predominan t role in the care of  children, elderly or 
disabled persons. In 2008, the employment rate  for women aged 25-49 was 67% when they 
had children under 12, compared to 78.5% when they did not, a negative difference of 11.5 
p.p. Interestingly, men with childre n under 12 had a significantly higher employment rate than 
those without, 91.6% vs. 84.8%, a positive di fference of 6.8 p.p. In the United Kingdom, 
Estonia and Malta, the negativ e impact of parenthood on female employment is higher than 
15 p.p.; it is higher than 20 p.p. in Ireland a nd Slovakia and higher than 25 p.p. in Hungary 
and the Czech Republic. On the contrary, the impact of pare nthood on the female employment 
rate is limited (less than 5 p.p.)  in Belgium, Portugal and Sl ovenia and is ev en slightly 
positive in Denmark (women with children ha ving a higher employment rate than women 
without). There is much less variation in the impact on men, with the positive impact ranging 
from 3.5 p.p. in Bulgaria to 11.3 p.p. in Luxembourg.  
An important factor affecting parents’ (and espe cially the mother’s) opportunity to participate 
in the labour market is the availability of  care services for children and other dependent 
persons. Some progress has been observed in  the proportion of child ren under 3 covered by 
formal care services, with the share increasi ng on average from 25% in 2005 to 30% in 2007 
(EU-25 average), thus moving towards the Bar celona target of 33%. However, this share 
varies across countries and thes e services are not always avai lable on a full-time basis or 
affordable. In the EU, around 30% of worki ng-age women having care responsibilities are 
inactive or work part-time (but  would like to work more hours)  due to the l ack of care 
services for children and other dependent persons. This share is below 10% in the 
                                                 
4 Source : European Restructuring Monitor 
5 Concerning the impact of the recession on gender eq uality, see e.g. the analysis note by the Network of 
experts in gender and employment issues : M. Smith, Gender equality and recession , 2009 (available at 
: http://ec.europa.eu/social/m ain.jsp?catId=748&langId=en ) and the forthcoming report : Smith M. and 
Villa P. (2009) Gender equality, employment policies and the crisis in EU Member States , EGGE 
 
EN 5   EN Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark but is high er than 60% in Spain and Greece and even 
higher than 80% in Latvia and Romania.  
Education and research 
While the average educational attainment of women and men is now similar over the entire 
working-age population, young women (20-24) record a higher leve l of educational 
attainment than men in almost all Member  States. On average, 81.3% of young women (20-
24) reached at least upper secondary school in the EU in 2008, against only 75.6% of young 
men. Furthermore, women represent as much as  59% of university graduates in the EU. This 
share is higher than 50% in  all Member States and even  higher than 65% in Hungary, 
Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. While this tren d will most probably have a positive impact on 
women’s outcomes on the labour market in the futu re, it is to be noted that until now the 
generally high skills levels of women have not been fully reflected in their employment 
outcomes. Indeed, even if the gender gap in  employment rates is lower among women and 
men having tertiary educa tion (than among women and me n having a lower level of 
education), gender gaps seem also to follow a lifecycle pattern, with the level of education 
having a limited influence. Gender gaps in employment, part-time work and pay tend to rise between the age of 25 and the ag e of 35, reflecting the high impact  of family responsibilities 
on female employment.  
Finally, although women now outnumber men among  university graduates, they are under-
represented among researchers and academic staff. Men outnumber women among PhD students and graduates, esp ecially for science, mathematics and computing and for 
engineering, manufacturing a nd construction. Furthermore, wo men represent only 18% of the 
professors in public universities
6.  
Gender segregation of the labour market 
The choice of study fields cert ainly impacts on the gender segreg ation of the labour market, as 
regards both occupations and economic sectors. There has not been much positive evolution 
in aggregate levels of segregation in sect ors and occupations sin ce 2003. In 2008, Estonia, 
Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and Finland faced high segregation in occupations and the same 
five countries (though in another order) have the highest levels of segregation in sectors. 
Consequently, women are under-represented in cer tain private sectors that are crucial for 
economic growth. Moreover, it is expected that  in the medium run, skill and labour shortages 
will affect mixed occupations less than male- or female-dominated occupations, which adds to the need for a more balanced distribution of occupations
7. This concerns for instance the 
female-dominated occupations of service workers and sales assistants, clerical staff and care 
workers and home helpers and the male-dominated occupations of engineers, plant and 
machine operators and assemblers.  
                                                 
6 European Commission, She Figures 2009 – Statistics and Indicators on Gender Equality in Science , 
2009, available at: http://ec.europa.eu/research/science-
society/document_library/pdf_06/she_figures_2009_en.pdf   
7 See the recently published report by the EC’s Network of experts on gender and employment issues: F. 
Bettio and A. Verashchagina, Gender segregation in the labour market — Root causes, implications 
and policy responses in the EU , 2009. 
 
EN 6   EN Pay gap  
As a result of all the above mentioned gender in equalities in the labour market (some of them 
resulting from personal choices by women and men), there is a persistent gender pay gap in 
the EU. The gender pay gap (defined as the difference between men’s and women’s average 
gross hourly earnings as a per centage of men’s average gros s hourly earnings) was estimated 
in 2007 at 17.6% on average in the EU. It exceeded 25% in two countries (Estonia and Austria) and 20% in seven countries (Slovaki a, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, 
Germany, the United Kingdom and Greece). Howeve r, it was below 10%  in Italy, Malta, 
Poland, Slovenia and Belgium.  
At-risk-of-poverty rates 
The disadvantaged position of women on the la bour market has conseq uences in terms of 
their higher exposure to the risk  of poverty. This was particul arly true for persons above 65 
years, among whom the share of people living in households at risk of poverty (having an 
income below the threshold se t at 60% of the national medi an income) was significantly 
higher for women than for men in the EU-27 in  2007 (22% vs. 17%). This was a pattern in 
almost all Member States. The gap exceeds 10  p.p. in Slovenia and Bulgaria and 15 p.p. in 
Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Romania. 
When considering at risk of poverty rates among the working age population (18 to 64), the 
gender gap is limited (2 p.p., 16% for women compar ed to 14% for men in the EU-27) and is 
mainly due to the highest prevalence of poverty among single-pare nt households (34% on 
average for the EU-27), headed in majority by women. Indeed, the at-ris k-of-poverty rate is 
calculated at household level and it is assume d that all members of a given household have 
the same level of poverty. Comparisons betwee n the sexes are based on the assumption of 
equal sharing of resources within households. Ho wever, due to the fact that women are often 
secondary earners or do not earn any salary
8 and that they devote more time to unpaid 
domestic and family work, their economic i ndependence is often limited and some of them 
face a high risk of poverty in the event of break-up, divorce or death of their partner9. 
Therefore, the current figures of at-risk-of-pove rty rates at household level cannot fully reflect 
the individual situation of women and men.  
                                                 
8 According to a report by the EC’s Network of experts on gender and employment issues (F. Bettio and 
A. Verashchagina, Fiscal systems and female employment , 2009, forthcoming) based on EU-SILC data, 
the share of couples in which the woman is the secondary earner (brings less than 45% of the household 
earnings) or does not earn any salary is 63.5% in the EU on average (non weighted). It ranges from 53% 
in Slovenia to 81% in Austria.  
9 The Belgian Gender and Income An alysis (BGIA) project has calcula ted individualised at risk of 
poverty rates (based on individualised income of women and men) which lead to much higher gender 
gaps between women and men. For Belgium in 2007, this individualised risk of poverty would be 36% 
for women and 11% for men, compared to 16% for women and 13% for men in the measurement based 
on households. Although these calculations are based on the strong hypothesis of absence of sharing of resources between household members (instead of the hypothesis of total sharing of resources), they 
reflect certain gaps in the economic independence of women and men and the risk of poverty women 
would face in the event of break-up, divorce or death of their partner. 
 
EN 7   EN Women in decision-making positions 
The average number of female  members of national parliame nts (single/lower houses) was 
24% in 2009, one p.p. higher than in 2005. The per centage is above 35% in Spain, Denmark, 
Belgium and Finland and above 40% in the Neth erlands and Sweden. Ho wever, it was below 
15% in Ireland, Hungary and Romania and did not exceed 10% in Malta.  
Among senior ministers of national governments (i.e . ministers with a seat  in the cabinet), the 
share of women increased from 22% in 2005 to 26% in 2009. The increase was higher than 10 p.p. in Slovakia, Italy, Finland and Denmark, higher than 15p.p in Poland and Slovenia and 
even reached 20 p.p. in France. 
In the economic field, women represent on averag e almost one-third of leaders of businesses 
in the EU, but in most countries the share is lower than that. It is below 25% in Denmark, 
Finland, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus but a bove 35% in Spain, Latvia and France.  
As regards female membership of the boards (‘highest decision-making body’) of the largest 
publicly quoted companies, the situation is ma rkedly different. In 2009, women represented, 
on average, only 11% of these board members at  EU level. The percentage exceeded 20% 
only in Finland (24%) and Sweden (27%); it wa s below 5% in Malta, Italy, Portugal, Cyprus 
and Luxembourg. 
 
EN 8   EN  
Employment rates (women and men aged 15 - 64) in EU Member States- 2008
59,172,8
0102030405060708090
DK SE NL FI EE AT UK DE LV SI CY PT LT FR IE BG EU27 CZ BE LU ES SK RO PL HU EL IT MTpercentWomen Men
Source:  Eurostat, Labour Force Survey (LFS), annual averages. Lisbon target 
for  total 
employment rate in 2010
Lisbon target 
for women's employment 
rate in 2010
 
15,4
13,7
051015202530354045
FI SE LT LV EE DK SI BG FR DE PT UK NL BE HU AT RO EU27 PL IE SK CY LU CZ ES IT EL MTpercentage pointsLeft bar: 2003     Right bar: 2008Absolute gender gap in employment rates (women and men aged 15-64) in EU Member States - 2003 and 2008  
(Difference between men's and women's employment rates) 
Source:  Eurostat, Labour Force Survey (LFS), annual averages. 
NB: A positive gap indicates higher employment rates for men in comparison with women, while the opposite is true for a negative ga p.
 
 
EN 9   EN Employment rates of older workers (women and men aged 55 - 64) in EU Member States- 2008
36,855
01020304050607080
SE EE LV FI DK UK LT DE PT NL IE CY BG EU27 FR CZ RO ES AT LU EL BE HU SK IT SI PL MTpercentWomen Men
Source:  Eurostat, Labour Force Survey (LFS), annual averages.Lisbon target 
for  
employment 
rate of workers aged 55-64    
 
1,4
0,9
-4-20246810
DE BG AT HU NL FI SE DK SI EU27 CY FR BE MT PL LU CZ PT SK ES IT ELpercentage pointsLeft bar: 2003      Right bar: 2008Absolute gender gap in unemployment rates (women and men aged 15 years and over) in EU 
Member States - 2003 and 2008
 (Difference between women's and men's unemployment rates) 
Source:  Eurostat, Labour Force Survey (LFS), annual averages. 
Notes : A positive gap indicates higher unemployment rates for women in comparison with men, while the opposite is true for a n egative gap.                                 IE EE LV LT RO UK
 
 
EN 10   EN Share of part-time workers in total employment (persons aged 15 and over) 
in EU Member States - 2008
31,1
7,9
01020304050607080
BG SK HU LV CZ LT GR EE RO CY SI PL PT FI ES MT IT FR EU27 IE DK LU BE SE AT UK DE NLpercentWomen Men
Source:  Eurostat, Labour Force Survey (LFS), annual averages. 
 
21,2
20,2
051015202530354045
FI LV LT EE BG SI SE DK FR HU RO PT PL SK CY CZ EU27 UK BE DE AT IE ES LU IT EL NL MTpercentage pointsLeft bar: 2003     Right bar: 2008Absolute gender gap in employment rates, measured in full time equivalent (women and men aged 15-64) in EU 
Member States - 2003 and 2008  (Difference between men's and women's employment rates) 
Source:  Eurostat, Labour Force Survey (LFS), annual averages. 
NB: A positive gap indicates higher employment rates for men in comparison with women, while the opposite is true for a negative ga p.
 
 
EN 11   EN 05101520253035404550
SI BG PT LV FI LT RO PL FR SE DK BE LU HU EE EU27 DE CY SK IT AT ES CZ IE UK NL EL M TPotential growth in GDP in the EU Member States following a transition to full equality in the labour
market, in % of GDP
Source: A. Löfgren, Gender equality, economic grow th and employment, 2009. This report w as presented at the conference held under 
the Sw edish Presidency 'What does gender equality mean for grow th and employment?', Stockholm, 15-16 October 2009. These figure s 
are an estimation of the potential increase in  GDP that w ould occur follow ing the elimination of gender gaps, i.e.  if w omen's  rates w ere to 
reach the level of men's rates in terms of employment, part-time w ork and productivity (measured by w ages).
 
-0,3
-2,1
-12-10-8-6-4-2024
DE AT LU PL NL BE EL FR SI HU RO EU27 BG CY IT DK LT MT FI CZ PT UK SE SK ES EE IE LVpercentage pointsLeft bar: women     Right bar: menEvolution of employment rates between 2008 and 2009 (second quarter) for women and men 
(aged 15-64) in EU Member States 
Source:  Eurostat, Labour Force Survey (LFS), quarterly data.                                             
 
 
EN 12   EN Unemployment rates among women and men in EU Member States, in May 2008 and 
September 2009(1), seasonally adjusted, in %
0510152025
NL A T CY SI CZ LU EL DK MT IT RO BG BE PL DE PT UK SE EU27 FI FR HU SK IE LT EE ES LVWomen - Sept 2009 Men - Sept 2009 Women - May 2008 Men - May 2008
Notes: Eurostat, Labour Force Survey. (1) Exception to the reference period : UK : July 2009; EL, LT, RO : 2nd quarter 2009; EE  : 3rd quarter.   
 Employment impact of parenthood for women and men (aged 25-49) in 2008 
D ifference in percentage points in employment rates with presence of a child under 12 and without the 
presence of any children 
-40-35-30-25-20-15-10-5051015
CZ HU SK IE MT EE UK DE A T BG EU-
27PL ES LU FI EL IT CY FR LV NL RO LT BE PT SI DKpercentage pointsmen women
Source : Eurostat, Labour Force Survey (LFS), annual average.
Notes : no data available for SE. 
 
EN 13   EN Employment rates of men aged 25-49, depending on whether they have children 
(under 12) - 2008
0,010,020,030,040,050,060,070,080,090,0100,0
EL LU NL CZ DK CY SI MT A T EE FI FR PT IT BE DE EU-
27PL SK UK LV IE LT ES BG RO HUWithout children With children
Source  : Eurostat, European Labour Force Survey, annual averages.
Notes : No data available for SE.  
Employment rates of women aged 25-49, depending on whether they have children 
(under 12) - 2008
0102030405060708090100
SI DK NL LT PT LV FI BE FR CY A T BG DE EE PL EU-
27RO LU UK ES IE SK EL IT CZ HU MTWithout children With children
Source  : Eurostat, European Labour Force Survey, annual averages.
Notes : No data available for SE.  
 
EN 14   EN Inactivity and part-time work am ong women due to the lack of care services for children and 
other dependent persons  (% of total female population having care responsibilities), in 2008
29,9
0102030405060708090100
NL SE DK SK FI CZ FR EE A T IT BG LU CY EU27 PT HU BE DE PL LT SI ES EL LV RO
Source:  Eurostat - Labour Force Survey. IE, MT, UK : data not available.  
Educational attainment (at least upper secondary school) of women and men aged 20 - 24, 
in EU Member States - 2008
81,3
75,6
0102030405060708090100
SI SK PL LT CZ IE SE CY EE FI EL LV FR HU AT BE BG EU27 NL UK IT DK RO LU DE ES PT MTpercentwomen men
Source : Eurostat, Labour Force Survey (LFS), annual averages.
NB: FI :  provisional values.
Students living abroad for one year or more and conscripts on compulsory military service are not covered by the EU Labour Forc e Survey, 
which may lead to lower rates than those available at national level. This is especially relevant for CY.
 
EN 15   EN Sex distribution of tertiary education graduates, for EU Member States, in 2007
5941
0102030405060708090100
LV EE LT HU PL SE FI SI SK PT BG RO EL CY EU IT ES BE UK DK MT CZ IE NL FR DE ATpercentWomen Men
Source: Eurostat, Education statistics. 
Note : LU : no data available. The EU-27 value is calculated on the basis of all countries except LU.
 
Gender segregation in occupations in EU Member States, in 2008
05101520253035
EL RO IT UK MT NL DE A T BE PL DK FR SI SE ES PT IE CY HU CZ LU BG FI LV LT SK EE
Source:  Eurostat - LFS, Spring data.  Gender segregation in occupations is calculated as the average national share of employment for wo m e n  
and men applied to each occupation; differences are added up to produce the total amount of gender imbalance expressed as a pro portion of 
total employment (ISCO classification). 
 
EN 16   EN Gender segregation in economic sectors in EU Member States, in 2008
0510152025
EL MT RO NL FR IT UK DE A T LU CZ SI BE DK HU PL CY ES PT BG SE IE LV LT FI SK EE
Source: Eurostat - LFS, Spring data. Gender segregation in sectors is calculated as the average national share of employment for w omen 
and men applied to each sector; differences are added up to produce the total amount of gender imbalance expressed as a proport ion of total 
employment (NACE classification).  
Pay gap between women and men in unadjusted form in EU Member States - 2007 
(Difference between men's and women's average gross hourly earni ngs as a percentage of men's average gross hourly earnings)
17,6
051015202530
IT MT PL PT SI BE BG LU RO LV HU FR IE ES EU27 DK SE FI LT UK EL DE CY CZ NL SK AT EEpercent
Source: Eurostat. Structure of Earnings Survey 2006 and national sources (2007) for yearly SES-comparable estimates.
 
 
EN 17   EN At-risk-of-poverty rate after social transfers1for older people (women and men aged 65 years and 
over), in EU Member States, 2007
22
17
0102030405060
CZ LU HU PL NL SK FR SE MT AT DK DE EU27 FI BE EL IT SI PT BG ES UK IE RO LT EE LV CYpercentWomen Men
Source:  Eurostat. SILC.
NB: 1) At-risk-of-poverty rate for elderly persons: The share of persons aged 65+ with an income below the risk-of-poverty threshol d, which is set at 60% of the 
national median income. Income must be understood as equivalised disposable income (sum from all sources, adjusted for househol d size and composition). It should 
be noted that the risk-of-poverty indicator is computed using an income definition which does not yet include imputed rent of o wner-occupiers. Comparisons between 
sexes are based on the assumption of equal sharing of resources within households. 
Source: EU-27:  SILC 2007, Income data 2006; except for UK, income year 2007 and for IE moving income reference period (2006-20 07). EU aggregates are Eurostat 
estimates and computed as population weighted averages of national values. 
 
2377
2476
0102030405060708090100
SE NL FI BE DK ES DE PT AT BG LV EE IT LU PL UK FR LT CZ SK EL CY SI IE HU RO MTpercentwomen men Left bar: 2005        Right bar: 2009
Source:  European Commission, Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities DG, Database on women and men in decision-making
NB: (1) Data for 2009 were collected in August 2009. The indicator was developed as part of the follow-up of the Beijing Platfo rm for Action 
in the EU Council of Ministers. Sex distribution of members of single/lower houses of national parliaments in EU Member States -
in 2005 and 2009 (1)
EU27
 
 
EN 18   EN 0102030405060708090100
FI ES SE DE DK AT FR BE LU SI PL BG IT MT NL IE LV CZ UK RO LT PT SK EL EE CY HUpercentwomen men Left bar: 2005        Right bar: 2009
Source:  European Commission, Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities DG, Database on women and men in decision-making
NB: (1) Data for 2005 were collected in December 2005 and data for 2009 were collected in August 2009. The indicator has been d eveloped as 
part of the follow-up of the Beijing Platform for Action in the EU Council of Ministers. A senior minister is a minister in the  national government 
who has a seat in the cabinet. Sex distribution of senior ministers in national gove rnments in EU Member States - in 2005 and 2009  (1)
EU27
 
Sex distribution of leaders of businesses, in 2008
32,567,5
0102030405060708090100
FR LV ES IT PL EE UK EU-
27LT PT BG DE AT SK LU NL BE HU EL CZ RO SE SI DK FI IE MT CYpercentWomen Men
Source: Eurostat, Labour Force Survey (LFS). NB: leaders of businesses covers ISCO (International Standard Classification of Occupation s) categories 121 
(Directors and chief executives) and 13 (Managers of small enterprises). For MT and CY: data lack reliability due to small sample size.
FR: the figures exclude Directors and CEOs, for which data are not available
 
 
EN 19   EN Sex distribution of members of the highest d ecision making body of largest publicly 
quoted companies in 2009
1189
0102030405060708090100
SE FI DK SK BG LV LT NL CZ DE HU RO UK EU-
27ES FR PL SI BE IE AT EE EL IT MT PT CY LUpercentWomen Men
Source: European Commission, Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities DG, Database on women and men in decision-making. 
Data were collected in August 2009. The list of the largest publicly quoted companies is based for each country on current memb ership of 
blue-chip index. In countries for which the blue-chip index includes a small number of companies (for instance LU, SK), at leas t the 10 largest 
companies were covered. 
 
 
EN 20   EN Employment rates (women and men aged 15-64) in EU Member States — 2003 and 2008 
Women Men Gender gap 
 2003 2008 2003 2008 2003 2008 
EU-27 54.9 59.1 70.3 72.8 15.4 13.7 
Belgium 
Bulgaria 
Czech Republic 
Denmark 
Germany  
Estonia 
Ireland 
Greece 
Spain 
France 
Italy 
Cyprus 
Latvia 
Lithuania 
Luxembourg  
Hungary 
Malta 
Netherlands 
Austria 
Poland 
Portugal 
Romania 
Slovenia 
Slovakia 
Finland 
Sweden 
United Kingdom 51.8 
49 
56.3 
70.5 
58.9 
59 
55.7 
44.3 46.3 58.2 
42.7 
60.4 57.9 
58.4 
50.9 50.9 
33.6 
66 
61.6 
46 
61.4 51.5 
57.6 
52.2 65.7 
71.5 
65.3 56.2 
59.5 57.6 
74.3 
65.4 66.3 
60.2 
48.7 54.9 60.4 
47.2 
62.9 65.4 
61.8 
55.1 50.6 
37.4 
71.1 65.8 
52.4 
62.5 52.5 
64.2 
54.6 
69 
71.8 
65.8 67.3 
56 
73.1 
79.6 
70.9 67.2 
75.2 
73.4 73.2 69.9 
69.6 
78.8 66.1 
64 
73.3 63.5 
74.5 
81.1 76.4 
56.5 
75 
63.8 
67.4 
63.3 69.7 
74.2 
77.8 68.6 
68.5 75.4 
81.9 
75.9 73.6 
74.9 
75 
73.5 69.6 
70.3 
79.2 72.1 
67.1 
71.5 
63 
72.5 
83.2 
78.5 
66.3 
74 
65.7 
72.7 
70 
73.1 
76.7 
77.3 15.5 
7 
16.8 
9.1 
12 
8.2 
19.5 
29.1 26.9 11.7 
26.9 
18.4 
8.2 
5.6 
22.4 12.6 
40.9 
15.1 14.8 
10.5 
13.6 12.3 
9.8 
11.1 
4 
2.7 
12.5 12.4 
9 
17.8 
7.6 
10.5 
7.3 
14.7 
26.3 18.6 
9.2 
23.1 
16.3 
6.7 
5.3 
16.4 12.4 
35.1 
12.1 12.7 
13.9 
11.5 13.2 
8.5 
15.4 
4.1 
4.9 
11.5 
Eurostat, Labour Force Surv ey (LFS), annual averages 
Employment rates of older workers (women and men aged 55-64) in EU Member States — 2003 and 2008 
Women Men Gender gap 
 2003 2008 2003 2008 2003 2008 
EU-27 30.7 36.8 49.9 55 19.2 18.2 
Belgium 
Bulgaria 
Czech Republic 
Denmark 
Germany 
Estonia 
Ireland 
Greece 
Spain 
France 
Italy 
Cyprus 
Latvia 
Lithuania 
Luxembourg 
Hungary 
Malta 
Netherlands 
Austria 
Poland 
Portugal 
Romania 
Slovenia 
Slovakia 
Finland 
Sweden 
United Kingdom 18.7 
21 
28.4 
52.9 
31.6 47.3 
33.1 
25.5 23.3 
33.3 
18.5 32.7 
38.8 
36.7 20.6 21.8 
13 
31.8 20.8 
19.8 
42.4 33.3 
14.6 
11.2 48.3 
66.3 
46.3 26.3 
37.7 34.4 
49.8 
46.1 60.3 
41.1 
27.5 31.1 
36.0 
24 
39.4 
56.7 
47.8 29.3 25.7 
12.5 
42.2 30.8 
20.7 
43.9 34.4 
21.1 
24.2 55.8 
66.7 
49 37.8 
40.5 57.5 
67.3 
48.2 58.9 
64.6 
58.7 59.2 
40.8 
42.8 68.9 
51.3 
55.3 39.7 37.8 
53.8 
56.7 40.4 
35.2 
62.1 43.5 
33.2 
41 51 
70.8 
64.8 42.8 
55.8 61.9 
64.3 
61.8 65.2 
66.1 
59.1 60.9 
40.5 
45.5 70.9 
63.1 
60.2 38.7 38.5 
46.4 
63.7 51.8 
44.1 
58.5 
53 
44.7 
56.7 57.1 
73.4 
67.3 19.1 
19.5 29.1 
14.4 
16.6 11.6 
31.5 
33.2 35.9 
7.5 
24.3 36.2 
12.5 
18.6 19.1 
16 
40.8 
24.9 19.6 
15.4 
19.7 10.2 
18.6 
29.8 
2.7 
4.5 
18.5 16.5 
18.1 27.5 
14.5 
15.7 
4.9 
25 
31.6 29.8 
4.5 
21.5 31.5 
6.4 
12.4 
9.4 
12.8 
33.9 
21.5 
21 
23.4 
14.6 18.6 
23.6 
32.5 
1.3 
6.7 
18.3 
Eurostat, Labour Force Surv ey (LFS), annual averages 
 
EN 21   EN Unemployment rates (women and men aged 15 and over) in EU Member States — 2003 and 2008 
In this table, the gender gap is calculated as wome n's unemployment rate minus men's unemployment rate 
Women Men Gender gap 
 2003 2008 2003 2008 2003 2008 
EU-27 9.8 7.5 8.4 6.6 1.4 0.9 
Belgium  
Bulgaria  
Czech Republic  
Denmark  
Germany  
Estonia  
Ireland  
Greece  
Spain  
France  
Italy  
Cyprus  
Latvia  
Lithuania  
Luxembourg  
Hungary  
Malta  
Netherlands  
Austria  Poland  
Portugal  
Romania  
Slovenia  
Slovakia  
Finland  
Sweden  
United Kingdom  8 
13.2 
9.6 
5.7 9.3 
10.4 
4 
14.3 
15.9 
9.6 
11.9 
4.6 
10.8 13.2 
4.7 
5.4 9.9 
3.8 
4.3 
19.9 
7.2 
6.4 
7 
17.3 
9.9 
5 
4.1 7.6 
5.8 
5.6 
3.7 7.5 
5.3 
4.6 
11.4 
13 
7.9 8.5 
4.2 
6.9 5.6 
6 
8.1 6.8 
3 
4.1 
8 9 
4.7 
4.8 
10.9 
6.7 
6.6 5.1 7.4 
14.2 
5.9 
5.1 
10.2 
11 
4.8 
6 
8.2 
7.7 6.9 
3.8 
10.4 12.6 
3 
6.1 6.4 
3.4 
5.1 
18.9 
5.2 
7.4 
6 
17 
11 
6.1 5.4 6.5 
5.5 
3.5 
3 
7.4 
5.8 
7.1 
5.1 
10.1 
6.9 5.5 
3.2 
8 
6.1 
4.3 
7.6 5.6 
2.5 
3.6 6.4 6.6 
6.7 
4 
8.4 
6.1 
5.9 6.1 0.6 
-1 
3.7 
0.6 
-0.9 
-0.6 
-0.8 
8.3 
7.7 
1.9 
5 
0.8 
0.4 0.6 
1.7 
-0.7 
3.5 
0.4 
-0.8 
1 2 
-1 
1 
0.3 
-1.1 
-1.1 -1.3 1.1 
0.3 
2.1 
0.7 0.1 
-0.5 
-2.5 
6.3 
2.9 
1 3 
1 
-1.1 -0.5 
1.7 
0.5 1.2 
0.5 
0.5 1.6 2.4 
-2 
0.8 2.5 
0.6 
0.7 
-1 
Eurostat, Labour Force Surv ey (LFS), annual averages 
Share of part-time workers in total employment (persons aged 15 and over), in EU Member States — 2003 
and 2008 
Women Men 
 2003 2008 2003 2008 
EU-27 29.1 31,1 6,8 7,9 
Belgium 
Bulgaria 
Czech Republic 
Denmark 
Germany 
Estonia 
Ireland 
Greece 
Spain 
France 
Italy 
Cyprus 
Latvia 
Lithuania 
Luxembourg 
Hungary 
Malta 
Netherlands 
Austria 
Poland 
Portugal 
Romania 
Slovenia 
Slovakia 
Finland 
Sweden 
United Kingdom 39.7 
2.9 8.5 
32.0 
40.8 10.6 
31.3 
7.4 
17.4 
29.7 
17.2 13.2 
13.7 
11.2 30.7 
6.1 
21.0 74.2 
35.4 
13.1 17.3 
13.0 
8.5 3.7 
17.8 
35.4 
44.2 40,9 
2,7 8,5 
36,5 
45,4 10,4 
32,4 
9,9 
22,7 
29,4 
27,9 11,4 
8,1 
8,6 
38,3 
6,2 
25,6 75,3 
41,5 
11,7 17,2 
10,8 
11,4 
4,2 
18,2 
41,4 
41,8 6,3 
2 
2,3 
11,4 
6,1 5,5 
6,7 
2,1 2,7 
5,6 
3,3 5,5 
6,5 
7 
1,6 
2,8 
4,2 
22 
4,8 
7,9 7,1 
11,1 
4,9 1,3 8,3 
11,3 
10,4 7,9 
2 
2,2 
14,2 
9,4 4,1 
7,8 
2,8 4,2 
5,8 
5,3 4,8 
4,5 
4,9 
2,7 
3,3 
4,5 
23,9 
8,1 
5,9 7,4 
9,1 
7,1 1,4 8,9 
13,3 
11,3 
Eurostat, Labour Force Surv ey (LFS), annual averages 
 
EN 22   EN Employment rates (women and men aged 15-64) measured in full-time equivalent rate s, in EU Member States 
— 2003 and 2008 
Women Men Gender gap 
 2003 2008 2003 2008 2003 2008 
EU-27 47.7 50.7 68.9 70.9 21.2 20.2 
Belgium 
Bulgaria 
Czech Republic 
Denmark 
Germany  
Estonia 
Ireland 
Greece 
Spain 
France 
Italy 
Cyprus 
Latvia 
Lithuania 
Luxembourg  
Hungary 
Malta 
Netherlands 
Austria Poland 
Portugal 
Romania 
Slovenia 
Slovakia 
Finland 
Sweden 
United Kingdom 42.9 
48.8 
55.1 61.8 
46.2 
57 
46.7 
43.2 
41.9 51.8 
39.9 
57.2 56.5 
58.4 
43.7 
50 
30.6 
41.7 51.6 44.7 
57.9 
51.8 55.5 
50.9 
62 63 
50.7 46.9 
59 
56.1 63.8 
49.5 
64.3 51.1 
47 
49.1 53.7 
41.8 
60.3 
66 
60.3 
47.7 49.2 
34.5 
45.4 52.1 50.6 
59.3 
51.6 60.8 
52.9 
65 
62.5 
52.2 66.7 
56.3 
73.2 75.4 
68.9 
66 
74.4 
73.9 
72.6 68.3 
69 
79.3 66.3 
65.8 
72.9 
64 
75.3 
73.2 74.9 56.1 
75.5 
65.2 66.1 
63.2 
68.4 72.3 
73.6 68.4 
68.2 
75.1 77.2 
72.2 
73.3 74.9 
75.7 
73.1 67.8 
69.4 
79.1 73.7 
68.8 
73.9 63.5 
71.6 
74.5 74.8 66.2 
74.4 
66.3 
71.2 
69 
72.4 73.7 
73.3 23.8 
7.5 
18.1 13.6 
22.7 
9 
27.7 
30.7 
30.7 16.5 
29.1 
22.1 
9.8 
7.4 
29.2 
14 
44.7 
31.5 23.3 11.4 
17.6 
13.4 10.6 
12.3 
6.4 9.3 
22.9 21.5 
9.2 
19 
13.4 
22.7 
9 
23.8 
28.7 
24 
14.1 
27.6 
18.8 
7.7 
8.5 
26.2 14.3 
37.1 
29.1 22.7 15.6 
15.1 
14.7 10.4 
16.1 
7.4 
11.2 
21.1 
Eurostat, Labour Force Surv ey (LFS), annual averages 
Potential growth in GDP in the EU Member States follo wing a transition to full equality in the labour market, 
in % of GDP 
EU-27 (non 
weighted average) 27 
Belgium 
Bulgaria 
Czech Republic 
Denmark 
Germany 
Estonia 
Ireland 
Greece 
Spain 
France 
Italy 
Cyprus 
Latvia 
Lithuania 
Luxembourg 
Hungary 
Malta 
Netherlands 
Austria 
Poland 
Portugal 
Romania 
Slovenia 
Slovakia 
Finland 
Sweden 
United Kingdom 26 
15 32 
23 
29 27 
35 
41 32 
21 
32 29 
18 
20 27 
27 
45 40 
32 
21 16 
20 
14 30 
19 
21 35 
Source: A. Löfgren, Gender equality, economic growth and employment, 2009. This report was presented at the conference held und er the Swedish Presidency 
‘What does gender equality mean for growth and employment?’, Stockholm, 15-16 October 2009. These figures are an estimation of the potential increase in 
GDP that would occur following the elimination of gender gaps, i.e. if women’s rates were to reach the level of men’s rates in terms of employment, part-time 
work and productivity (measured by wages). 
 
EN 23   EN Evolution of employment rates between 2008 and 2009 (second quarter) for women and men (aged 15-64) in 
EU Member States 
Women Men 
 2008-II 2009-II 2008-II 2009-II 
EU-27 59.1 58.8 73.0 70.9 
Belgium 
Bulgaria 
Czech Republic 
Denmark 
Germany  
Estonia 
Ireland 
Greece 
Spain 
France 
Italy 
Cyprus 
Latvia 
Lithuania 
Luxembourg  
Hungary 
Malta 
Netherlands 
Austria Poland 
Portugal 
Romania 
Slovenia 
Slovakia 
Finland 
Sweden 
United Kingdom 55.7 
59.5 
57.8 74.4 
65 
66.1 60.5 
49 
55.2 60.6 
47.5 
63.3 66.2 
61.3 
55.8 50.1 
38.5 
70.9 65.7 52.1 
63.1 
53.1 63.7 
54.2 
70 
72.3 
65.9 56 
59 
56.7 73.8 
66.2 
63.3 57.6 
49.2 
52.8 60.6 
46.9 
62.7 61.2 
60.4 
56.6 49.9 
37.6 
71.4 66.6 52.7 
61.9 
52.9 63.7 
52.8 
69 
70.9 
64.7 68.3 
68.4 
75.3 82.4 
75.6 
73.8 75.6 
75.4 
74.4 69.7 
70.8 
79.3 72.9 
68 
72.8 63.1 
71.6 
83.3 
79 66 
74.3 
66.4 72.6 
69.2 
74.7 77.2 
77.4 66.8 
67.7 
73.9 78.5 
75.2 
64.4 66.8 
73.9 
66.9 68.9 
69 
78.1 61.6 
60.3 
74.6 61.5 
71.5 
82.7 76.9 
66 
71.6 
65.6 71.4 
68 
70.5 
74.5 
74.6 
Source: Eurostat, Labour Force Survey (LFS), quarterly data. 
Unemployment rates among women and men in EU Member States, in May 2008 and September 2009 (1), 
seasonally adjusted, in % (In this table, the gender gap is calculated as women’s unemployment rate minus men’s unemployment 
rate) 
Women Men Gender gap 
 May 2008 Sept. 2009 May 2008 Sept. 2009 May 2008 Sept. 2009 
EU-27 7.4 9 6.4 9.3 1 -0.3 
Belgium  
Bulgaria  
Czech Republic  
Denmark  
Germany  
Estonia  
Ireland  
Greece  
Spain  
France  
Italy  
Cyprus  
Latvia  
Lithuania  
Luxembourg  
Hungary  
Malta  
Netherlands  
Austria  Poland  
Portugal  
Romania  
Slovenia  
Slovakia  
Finland  
Sweden  
United Kingdom  7.1 
6.1 
5.4 3.7 
7.3 
3.9 4.1 
11.2 
12.4 
8.2 8.8 
4.1 
6.3 4.2 
5.9 
8 
6.5 
3.3 
3.8 8.1 
8.9 
4.7 5.3 
11.2 
6.6 6.4 
4.8 8 
7.4 
8.2 
6 
6.9 
11.9 
8.9 
12.8 
19.3 10.6 
9.2 
5.9 
16.9 10.8 
6.8 
9.4 8.1 
3.8 
4.5 8.5 
9.7 
5.3 5.8 
12.5 
7.9 8.3 
6.5 6.2 
5.7 
3.4 2.6 
7.4 
4.3 6.2 
4.9 
9.1 7.1 5.4 
3 
6 
5.4 
4 
7.5 5.7 
2.5 
3.2 6.6 
6.5 
6.6 3.7 
8.8 
5.9 5.8 
5.7 7.9 
7.7 
6.1 6.8 
8.3 
18.4 16.2 
6.6 
19.2 
9.4 6.9 
5.8 
22.5 16.8 
6.3 
10 
6.8 
3.5 
5 
7.9 
8.7 
7.2 
6 
11.5 
9.3 9.1 
9 0.9 
0.4 
2 
1.1 
-0.1 
-0.4 -2.1 
6.3 
3.3 1.1 3.4 
1.1 
0.3 
-1.2 
1.9 
0.5 0.8 
0.8 
0.6 1.5 
2.4 
-1.9 
1.6 
2.4 
0.7 0.6 
-0.9 0.1 
-0.3 
2.1 
-0.8 
-1.4 
-6.4 -7.3 
6.2 
0.1 1.2 2.5 
0.1 
-5.6 -6.1 
0.5 
-0.6 
1.3 
0.4 
-0.5 
0.6 
1 
-1.9 -0.2 
1 
-1.6 -0.9 
-2.5 
Notes: Eurostat, Labour Force Survey. (1) Exception to the reference period: UK: July 2009; EE, EL, IT, LT, RO: 2nd quarter 2009; EE: 3rd quarter.  
 
EN 24   EN Employment rates of women and men (aged 25-49), with or without children (under 12) in 2008 
With children Without children Difference (in p.p.) 
 Women Men Women Men Women Men 
EU-27 67.0 91.6 78.5 84.8 -11.5 6.8 
Belgium 
Bulgaria 
Czech Republic 
Denmark 
Germany  
Estonia 
Ireland 
Greece 
Spain 
France 
Italy 
Cyprus 
Latvia 
Lithuania 
Luxembourg  
Hungary 
Malta 
Netherlands 
Austria 
Poland 
Portugal 
Romania 
Slovenia 
Slovakia 
Finland 
United Kingdom 74.3 
70.7 56.0 
86.0 
68.9 68.8 
61.2 
58.4 62.3 
73.8 
56.1 73.6 
75.6 
77.8 66.2 
52.2 
38.8 78.5 
71.9 
68.0 76.7 66.8 
86.1 
59.9 75.1 
66.2 92.3 
87.8 95.9 
95.8 
92.3 93.5 
89.9 
97.0 88.2 
93.3 
92.5 95.6 
90.4 
88.9 96.5 
85.7 
94.1 96.0 
93.9 
91.5 93.1 85.8 
95.1 
91.0 93.5 
90.7 78.5 
82.6 88.8 
85.8 
82.3 87.8 
81.5 
67.8 72.9 
82.4 
65.1 82.2 
83.9 
83.4 76.9 
80.5 
57.8 84.6 
85.2 
78.8 78.4 72.5 
87.2 
84.8 85.5 
84.3 85.2 
84.3 90.6 
89.7 
85.3 88.1 
84.6 
87.5 82.1 
87.3 
82.8 87.2 
82.9 
79.5 85.2 
81.4 
87.6 91.4 
89.5 
82.0 84.0 78.6 
87.5 
84.9 84.9 
86.6 -4.2 
-11.9 -32.9 
0.2 
-13.4 -19.0 
-20.3 
-9.4 
-10.6 
-8.6 -9.0 -8.7 
-8.3 
-5.6 
-10.6 
-28.3 
-19.1 
-6.1 
-13.3 
-10.8 
-1.7 -5.7 
-1.1 
-24.9 -10.4 
-18.1 7.2 
3.5 5.3 
6.1 
7.0 5.4 
5.3 
9.6 6.2 
6.0 
9.7 8.3 
7.5 
9.4 
11.3 
4.2 
6.5 4.6 
4.4 
9.5 9.1 7.2 
7.6 
6.1 8.5 
4.1 
Source: Eurostat, Labour Force Survey (LFS), an nual average. Note: no data available for SE 
Inactivity and part-time work among women due to the lack of care services for children and other dependent 
persons (% of total female population having care responsibilities), in 2008 
 2008 
EU-27 29.9 
Belgium 
Bulgaria 
Czech Republic 
Denmark 
Germany 
Estonia 
Greece 
Spain 
France 
Italy 
Cyprus 
Latvia 
Lithuania 
Luxembourg 
Hungary 
Netherlands 
Austria Poland 
Portugal 
Romania 
Slovenia 
Slovakia 
Finland 
Sweden 42.4 
20.8 13.3 
7.5 
43.8 16.3 
68.5 
60.1 15.9 
19.1 
26.2 
84 
48.4 
24.9 33.4 
3.7 
16.9 46.4 
33 
90.2 58.4 
10.2 
11 
7.5 
Source: Eurostat, Labour Force Survey . IE, MT, UK: data not available.  
 
EN 25   EN Educational attainment (at least upper secondary school) of women and men aged 20 – 24, in EU Member 
States — 2003 and 2008 
Women Men 
 2003 2008 2003 2008 
EU-27 79.4 81.3 74.4 75.6 
Belgium  
Bulgaria  
Czech Republic  
Denmark  
Germany  
Estonia  
Ireland  
Greece  
Spain  
France  
Italy  
Cyprus  
Latvia  
Lithuania  
Luxembourg  
Hungary  
Malta  
Netherlands  
Austria  Poland  
Portugal  
Romania  
Slovenia  
Slovakia  
Finland  
Sweden  
United Kingdom  84.6 
77.3 
91.5 78.5 
73.4 
85.1 88.5 
86.8 
69.2 83.0 
75.1 
87.0 80.9 
87.9 
75.6 86.1 
48.8 
78.0 83.4 92.8 
55.5 
75.7 94.0 
94.5 
87.6 87.2 
78.9 83.9 
83.4 
92.2 78.6 
76.4 
88.3 91.3 
86.6 
67.6 85.7 
79.7 
89.5 86.0 
92.3 
77.4 85.5 
57.3 
80.6 84.8 93.3 
61.9 
78.6 93.6 
93.6 
87.6 89.7 
80.0 77.9 
75.4 
92.8 73.8 
71.6 
77.9 81.6 
76.6 
55.5 79.7 
66.8 
71.3 70.1 
80.6 
69.7 83.4 
41.3 
72.0 85.1 87.9 
40.4 
74.3 87.7 
93.7 
83.0 84.3 
78.4 80.5 
84.0 
91.0 63.6 
71.9 
76.0 84.1 
78.0 
52.7 81.0 
73.5 
80.1 74.3 
85.9 
68.3 81.7 
49.1 
71.9 84.2 89.3 
47.1 
77.9 87.4 
91.0 
84.6 86.2 
76.4 
Source: Eurostat, Labour Force Survey (LFS), annual averages. 
NB: FI: provisional values for 2008. DK, FR, HU, LU and MT: break in series.  
Students living abroad for one year or more and conscripts on compulsory military service are not covered by the EU Labour Forc e Survey, which may lead to 
lower rates than those available at national level. This is especially relevant for CY. 
Sex distribution of tertiary education gr aduates, for EU Member States, in 2007 
2007 
 Women Men 
EU 59 41 
Belgium 
Bulgaria 
Czech Republic 
Denmark 
Germany 
Estonia 
Ireland 
Greece 
Spain 
France 
Italy 
Cyprus 
Latvia 
Lithuania 
Hungary 
Malta 
Netherlands 
Austria 
Poland 
Portugal 
Romania 
Slovenia 
Slovakia 
Finland 
Sweden 
United Kingdom 58 
60 
57 
57 54 
69 
57 59 
58 
55 59 59 
72 
67 66 
57 
55 52 
65 
61 60 
62 
62 63 
64 
58 42 
40 
43 
43 46 
31 
43 41 
42 
45 41 41 
28 
33 34 
43 
45 48 
35 
39 40 
38 
38 37 
36 
42 
Source: Eurostat, Education statistics.  
Note: LU: no data available. The EU-27 value is ca lculated on the basis of all countries except LU. 
 
EN 26   EN Gender segregation in occupations and in economic sectors in EU Member States, in 2003 and 2008 
Gender segregation in occupations G ender segregation in economic sectors 
 2003 2008 2003 2008 
Belgium 
Bulgaria 
Czech Republic 
Denmark 
Germany 
Estonia 
Ireland 
Greece 
Spain 
France 
Italy 
Cyprus 
Latvia 
Lithuania 
Luxembourg 
Hungary 
Malta 
Netherlands 
Austria 
Poland 
Portugal 
Romania 
Slovenia 
Slovakia 
Finland 
Sweden 
United Kingdom 26.3 
27.8 
29.4 27.4 
26.7 
32.1 27.1 
21.7 
26.4 26.3 
22.3 
28.6 27.8 
27.5 
24.7 28.8 
23.8 
25.3 27.7 
25.2 
27.4 11.8 27.2 
30.5 
29.5 27.7 
26.5 26.2 
29.4 
28.5 26.5 
26.1 
32.2 27.6 
22.4 
27.3 26.6 
23.8 
28 
29.8 
30.1 
29.2 28.2 
24.9 
24.9 26.1 
26.2 
27.3 22.9 26.7 
30.5 
29.5 
27 
24.8 19.2 
19.3 
19.5 18.3 
18.2 
24 
21.1 
15.9 
20.2 17.2 
15.7 
18.1 20.9 
21.9 
18.6 19.7 
15.9 
18 
20.8 
14.1 
22 
14.3 17.8 
22.7 
21.9 21.6 
18.9 19.3 
21.9 
19.1 19.3 
18.3 
25.8 22.5 
15.5 
20.7 
18 
18 
20.3 22.8 
22.9 
18.9 19.4 
15.6 
17.9 18.4 
20.2 
21.7 
16.9 19.2 
23.5 
23.1 22.1 
18.2 
Eurostat, Labour Force Survey (LFS)  — Spring data (except for LU in 2003: annual average data). Data lack comparability due to changes in certain survey 
characteristics: for occupations, RO: based until 2004 on IS CO 1 digit. Break in series for IT, AT, DE, ES and SE. 
Gender segregation in occupations  is calculated as the average national share of  employment for women an d men applied to each o ccupation; differences are 
added up to produce the total amount of gender imbalance expressed as a proportion of total employment (ISCO classification).  Gender segregation in sectors is 
calculated as the average national share of employment for women and men applied to each sector; differences are added up to pr oduce the total amount of 
gender imbalance expressed as a proportion of total employment (NACE classification). 
Pay gap between women and men in unadjusted form in EU Member States — 2007 and 2008 (Difference 
between men’s and women’s average gross hourly earnings as  a percentage of men’s average gross hourly earnings)  
 2007 2008 
EU-27 17.6 : 
Belgium 
Bulgaria 
Czech Republic 
Denmark 
Germany 
Estonia 
Ireland 
Greece 
Spain 
France 
Italy 
Cyprus 
Latvia 
Lithuania 
Luxembourg 
Hungary 
Malta 
Netherlands 
Austria 
Poland 
Portugal 
Romania 
Slovenia 
Slovakia 
Finland 
Sweden 
United Kingdom 9.1 
12.4 23.6 
17.7 
23.0 30.3 
17.1 
21.5 17.1 
16.9 
5.1 
23.1 15.4 
20.0 
12.5 16.3 
5.2 
23.6 25.5 
7.5 
8.3 
12.7 
8.3 
23.6 20.0 
17.9 
21.1 : 
: 
26.2 
: 
23.2 
: 
: 
22.0 17.1 
19.2 
4.9 
21.6 13.4 
21.6 
12.4 17.5 
: 
: 
25.5 
14.3 
: 
9.0 
8.5 
20.9 20.0 
17.1 
21.4 
Source: Eurostat. Structure of Earnings Survey 2006 and national  sources (2007) for yearly SES-comparable estimates. 2008: Prov isional data for ES, CY, FR 
and FI. 
 
EN 27   EN At-risk-of-poverty rate after social transfers for older people (women and men aged 65 years and over) in EU 
Member States —2007 
 Women Men 
EU-27 22 17 
Belgium 
Bulgaria 
Czech Republic 
Denmark 
Germany 
Estonia 
Ireland 
Greece 
Spain 
France 
Italy 
Cyprus 
-Latvia 
Lithuania 
Luxembourg 
Hungary 
Malta 
Netherlands 
Austria 
Poland 
Portugal 
Romania 
Slovenia 
Slovakia 
Finland 
Sweden 
United Kingdom 25 
29 
8 
19 
20 
39 33 
25 
30 14 
25 
54 39 
37 
8 8 
18 
11 18 
9 
27 34 25 
11 
25 14 
32 21 
15 
2 
16 
14 
21 24 
21 
26 12 
18 
47 21 
15 
7 3 
24 
9 9 
6 
24 13 11 
3 
18 
7 
27 
Source: Eurostat. EU-27: SILC 2007, Income data 2006; except fo r UK, income year 2007 and for IE moving income reference period  (2006-2007). EU 
aggregates are Eurostat estimates and computed as population weig hted averages of national values. At-risk-of-poverty rate for elderly persons: the share of 
persons aged 65+ with an income below the risk-of-poverty threshold, which is set at 60% of the national median income. Income must be understood as 
equivalised disposable income (sum from all sources, adjusted for household size and composition). It should be noted that the risk-of-poverty indicator is 
computed using an income definition which does not yet include im puted rent of owner-occupiers. Comparisons between sexes are b ased on the assumption of 
equal sharing of resources within households.  
Members of single/lower houses of national parliaments  in EU Member States — distribution by sex 2005 
and 2009  
2005 2009 
 Women Men Women Men 
EU-27 23 77 24 76 
Belgium 
Bulgaria 
Czech Republic 
Denmark 
Germany 
Estonia 
Ireland 
Greece 
Spain 
France 
Italy 
Cyprus 
Latvia 
Lithuania 
Luxembourg 
Hungary 
Malta 
Netherlands 
Austria Poland 
Portugal 
Romania 
Slovenia 
Slovakia 
Finland 
Sweden 
United Kingdom 35 
21 
16 40 
31 
18 13 
13 
36 15 12 
16 
21 23 
21 
9 9 
39 
33 21 
25 
11 13 
17 
38 49 
20 65 
79 
84 60 
69 
82 87 
87 
64 85 88 
84 
79 77 
79 
91 91 
61 
67 79 
75 
89 87 
83 
62 51 
80 38 
22 
18 37 
32 
21 13 
16 
36 19 21 
16 
22 19 
20 
11 
9 
42 
28 20 
30 
11 16 
18 
40 47 
20 62 
78 
82 63 
68 
79 87 
84 
64 81 79 
84 
78 81 
80 
89 91 
58 
72 80 
70 
89 84 
82 
60 53 
80 
Source: European Commission, Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities DG, Database on women and men in decision makin g. NB: Data for 2009 
were collected in August 2009. The indicator was developed as part of the follow-up of the Beijing Platform for Action in the E U Council of Ministers. 
 
EN 28   EN Sex distribution of senior ministers in national gover nments in EU Member States — in 2005 and 2009 
2005 2009 
 Women Men Women Men 
EU-27 22 78 26 74 
Belgium 
Bulgaria 
Czech Republic 
Denmark 
Germany 
Estonia 
Ireland 
Greece 
Spain 
France 
Italy 
Cyprus 
Latvia 
Lithuania 
Luxembourg 
Hungary 
Malta 
Netherlands 
Austria 
Poland 
Portugal 
Romania 
Slovenia 
Slovakia 
Finland 
Sweden 
United Kingdom 21 
20 18 
28 
46 15 
21 
6 
47 
13 
9 0 
24 
15 17 
12 
15 31 
55 
7 
17 17 
7 
0 
47 
50 
27 79 
80 82 
72 
54 85 
79 
94 53 
87 
91 
100 
76 
85 83 
88 
85 69 
45 
93 83 83 
93 
100 
53 
50 
73 27 
24 18 
42 
44 
8 
20 
11 50 
33 
22 
8 
20 
13 27 
0 
22 22 
36 
25 13 15 
26 
13 60 
45 
17 73 
76 82 
58 
56 92 
80 
89 50 
67 
78 92 
80 
87 73 
100 
78 78 
64 
75 
87 85 
74 
87 40 
55 
83 
Source: European Commission, Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities DG, Database on women and men in decision makin g. NB: Data for 2005 
were collected in December 2005 and data for 2009 were collected in August 2009. The indicator was developed as part of the fol low-up of the Beijing Platform 
for Action in the EU Council of Ministers. A senior minister is a minister in the national government who has a seat in the cab inet. 
Sex distribution of leaders of businesses, in 2008  
2008 
 Women Men 
EU-27 32.5 67.5 
Belgium 
Bulgaria 
Czech Republic 
Denmark 
Germany 
Estonia 
Ireland 
Greece 
Spain 
France 
Italy 
Cyprus 
Latvia 
Lithuania 
Luxembourg 
Hungary 
Malta 
Netherlands 
Austria 
Poland 
Portugal 
Romania 
Slovenia 
Slovakia 
Finland 
Sweden 
United Kingdom 29.2 
31.4 
26.9 
24.0 30.8 
34.0 
19.2 28.5 
35.1 
40.0 34.7 
8.2 
35.3 31.8 29.6  
28.6 
16.0 29.3 
30.5 
34.7 31.7 
26.7 
25.2 30.5 
21.6 
26.0 33.4 70.8 
68.6 
73.1 
76.0 69.2 
66.0 
80.8 71.5 
64.9 
60.0 65.3 
91.8 
64.7 68.2 70.4 
71.4 
84.0 70.7 
69.5 
65.3 68.3 
73.3 
74.8 69.5 
78.4 
74.0 66.6 
Source: Eurostat, Labour Fo rce Survey (LFS). NB: leaders of businesses covers ISCO (International Standa rd Classification of Oc cupations) categories 121 
(Directors and chief executives) and 13  (Managers of small enterprises).  
For MT and CY: data lack reliability due to small sample size. FR: the figures exclude Directors and CE Os for which data are not available 
 
EN 29   EN Sex distribution of members of the highest decision making body of largest publicly quoted companies in 2009 
2009 
 Women Men 
EU-27 11 89 
Belgium 
Bulgaria 
Czech Republic 
Denmark 
Germany 
Estonia 
Ireland 
Greece 
Spain 
France 
Italy 
Cyprus 
Latvia 
Lithuania 
Luxembourg 
Hungary 
Malta 
Netherlands 
Austria 
Poland 
Portugal 
Romania 
Slovenia 
Slovakia 
Finland 
Sweden 
United Kingdom 8 
17 13 
18 
13 
6 
8 
5 
10 
10 
4 3 
17 
15 
3 
13 
4 
15 
7 
10 
4 
12 
10 
18 24 
27 
12 92 
83 87 
82 
87 94 
92 
95 90 
90 
96 97 
83 
85 97 
87 
96 85 
93 
90 96 88 
90 
82 76 
73 
88 
Source: European Commission, Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities DG, Database on women and men in decision makin g. Data were collected 
in August 2009. The list of the largest publicly quoted companies is based for each country on current membership of the blue-c hip index. In countries for which 
the blue-chip index includes a small number of companies (for ins tance LU, SK), at least the 10 largest companies were covered.  
Indicators for the cand idate countries in 2008  
Turkey Croatia FYROM 
 Women Men Gap Women Men Gap Women Men Gap 
Activity rate (15-64)  26.9 74.8 47.9 56.6 70 13.4 50.2 76.6 26.4 
Employment rate (15-64)  24.3 67.7 43.4 50.7 65 14.3 32.9 50.7 17.8 
Employment rate of older workers (55-64)  16.5 43 26.5 25.5 49 23.5 21.1 43 21.9 
Unemployment rate 25-74  7.0 7.8 0.8 8.4 5.5 -2.9 30.9 30.3 -0.6 
Unemployment in population aged 15-24 4.4 9.2 4.8 7.7 7.5 -0.2 16.1 24.1 8 
Share of part-time workers 20.8 5.6 -15.2 11.5 6.7 -4.8 7.6 4.7 -2.9 
Share of employees with temporary contracts 12.5 11.6 -0.9 12.3 11.9 -0.4 12.4 16.2 3.8 
Educational attainment (upper secondary school, 
20-24)  40.9 56.4 15.5 96.3 94.6 -1.7 77.6 81.7 4.1 
Sex distribution of members of national parliaments 
(1)  9 91 - 24 76 -  32 68 -  
Sex distribution of senior  ministers in national 
governments(1)  7 93 - 20 80 - 9 91 - 
Sex distribution of leaders of businesses 7 93 - 23.5 76.5 - 27.8 72.2 - 
Share among members of boards of top quoted 
companies(1) 9 91 - 15 85 - 16 84 - 
Source: Eurostat, LFS 2008, except (1), for which the source is European Commission, Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Oppor tunities DG, Database on 
women and men in decision making (data collected in August 2009). The gender gap is always calculated as the value for men minu s the value for women.