Foreign enterprises contribute notably to the EU economy

In 2022, 1% of EU market producer enterprises were under foreign control. More than half, 63%, were controlled by institutional units from other EU countries, while 37% were resident outside the EU.

Even if small in numbers, foreign-controlled enterprises contributed significantly to the EU economy, constituting 24% of value added in the business producers’ market in the EU. Value added by foreign-controlled enterprises was the highest in Ireland (71%), Luxembourg (55%) and Slovakia (52%). By contrast, the lowest shares of value added were observed in France (16%), Germany and Italy (both 17%). 

Source dataset: fats_activ

Regarding the number of enterprises, the share of foreign-controlled enterprises was the highest in Luxembourg (28%), followed by Estonia (11%) and Poland (8%). At the other end of the scale, Belgium (0.1%), Italy (0.3%) and France (0.4%) had the lowest shares.

In terms of employees and self-employed persons, foreign-controlled enterprises represented 15% of EU jobs. Luxembourg (44%), Poland (34%) and Slovakia (28%) recorded the highest shares. Conversely, foreign-controlled enterprises accounted for 10% of jobs or less in Greece (7%), Cyprus (9%) and Italy (10%).

In 2022, the number of the EU enterprises controlled by institutional units resident in Russia dropped by 11% compared with 2021. That led to a decrease in number of employees and self-employed persons by 30% and a 24% drop in value added of EU enterprises controlled by entities from Russia compared with 2021. On the other hand, in 2022 there was an increase in the number of enterprises (+8%), employees and self-employed persons (+6%) and value added (+12%) of the EU market producers controlled by institutional units resident in Ukraine.

For more information

• Statistics explained on foreign-controlled enterprises statistics – inward FATS
• Thematic section on globalisation of businesses
• Database on globalisation of businesses

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