This Survey is published on the responsibility of the Economic and Development Review Committee of the OECD, which is charged with the examination of the economic situation of member countries.

The economic situation and policies of European Union were reviewed by the Committee on 3 May 2016. The draft report was then revised in the light of the discussions and given final approval as the agreed report of the whole Committee on 23 May 2016.

The Secretariat’s draft report was prepared for the Committee by Jan Stráský and Álvaro Pina under the supervision of Pierre Beynet. Research assistance was provided by Desney Wilkinson-Erb and Secretarial assistance was provided by Sylvie Ricordeau.

The previous Survey of the European Union was issued in April 2014.

  
Basic statistics of the European Union,a 2015
(Numbers in parentheses refer to the OECD average)b

LAND, PEOPLE AND ELECTORAL CYCLE

Population (million)

508.5

Population density per km²

116.0

(35.1)

Under 15 (%)

15.6

(18.0)

Life expectancy (years, 2014)

80.9

(80.5)

Over 65 (%)

18.9

(16.3)

Men

78.1

(77.8)

Foreign-born (%)

10.4

Women

83.6

(83.1)

Latest 5-year average growth (%)

0.2

(0.6)

Latest general election

May 2014

ECONOMY

Gross domestic product (GDP)

Value added shares (%, 2014)

In current prices (billion USD)

16.224

Primary sector

1.6

(2.4)

In current prices (billion EUR)

14.625

Industry including construction

24.4

(26.7)

Latest 5-year average real growth (%)

1.0

(1.7)

Services

74.0

(70.9)

Per capita (000 USD PPP)

37.6

(40.2)

GENERAL GOVERNMENT

Per cent of GDP

Expenditure

47.4

(42.3)

Gross financial debt

85.2

Revenue

45.0

(38.5)

EXTERNAL ACCOUNTS

Main exports (% of total merchandise exports)

Machinery and transport equipment

44.2

In per cent of GDP

Other manufactured goods

23.7

Exports of goods and services (including intra EU)

43.5

(54.1)

Chemicals and related products, n.e.s.

18.5

Imports of goods and services (including intra EU)

40.2

(49.7)

Main imports (% of total merchandise imports)

Current account balance

1.1

(0.1)

Machinery and transport equipment

31.6

Other manufactured goods

26.7

Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials

19.4

LABOUR MARKET, SKILLS AND INNOVATION

Employment rate for 15-64 year-olds (%)

65.6

(66.2)

Unemployment rate, Labour Force Survey (age 15 and over, %)

9.4

(6.8)

Men

70.9

(74.1)

Youth (age 15-24, %)

20.4

(13.9)

Women

60.4

(58.5)

Long-term unemployed (1 year and over, %)

4.5

(2.5)

Participation rate for 15-64 year-olds (%)

72.5

(71.2)

Tertiary educational attainment 25-64 year-olds (%)

30.1

(33.3)

Average hours worked per year (2014)c

1 609

(1 770)

Gross domestic expenditure on R&D (% of GDP, 2014)

2.0

(2.4)

ENVIRONMENT

Total primary energy supply per capita (toe, 2014)

3.3

(4.1)

CO2 emissions from fuel combustion per capita (tonnes, 2013)

6.6

(9.6)

Renewables (%)

12.2

(9.1)

Municipal waste per capita (tonnes, 2014)

0.5

(0.5)

Fine particulate matter concentration (PM2.5, μg/m3, 2013)

13.8

(13.8)

SOCIETY

Income inequality (Gini coefficient, 2014)

0.309

(0.308)

Education outcomes (PISA score, 2012)

At risk of poverty rate (%, 2014)

10.8

Reading

489

(496)

Public and private spending (% of GDP)

Mathematics

489

(494)

Health care, current expenditure (2013)c

8.8

(8.9)

Science

497

(501)

Pensions (2011)c

9.1

(8.7)

Share of women in parliament (%, April 2016)

27.9

(27.9)

Education (primary, secondary, post sec. non tertiary, 2013)

3.4

(3.7)

Net official development assistance (% of GNI, 2014)

0.32

(0.37)

Better life index: www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org

← a. Average of European Union 28 countries unless otherwise indicated.

← b. Where the OECD aggregate is not provided in the source database, a simple OECD average of latest available data is calculated where data exist for at least 29 member countries.

← c. Average of the European Union member countries that are also members of the OECD (21 countries).

Source: Calculations based on data extracted from the databases of the following organisations: Eurostat, OECD, International Energy Agency, World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Inter-Parliamentary Union.