37 Million Shrinkage in EU's Workforce by 2050


 
The EU’s combined workforce is projected to decline by 37 million from today to 2050. This means that the workforce may be reduced by 22% by that date. Low fertility rates across the bloc, all of which are below the replacement threshold, are causing this decline.

Largest Estimated Declines in Workforces Across EU Members
Period: 2025 - 2050, Ranked by millions lost.

Country

Workforce
2025

Workforce
2050

 

Decline
2025-2050

% Decline
2025-2050

Germany

40.8M

33.1M

 

-7.8M

-19%

Italy

22.6M

15.7M

 

-6.9M

-31%

Spain

20.8M

14.9M

 

-5.9M

-28%

Poland

16.5M

11.9M

 

-4.6M

-28%

Romania

7.5M

5.5M

 

-2.0M

-27%

Greece

4.0M

2.9M

 

-1.1M

-28%

Portugal

4.8M

3.7M

 

-1.1M

-23%

Czechia

4.9M

3.9M

 

-1.0M

-21%

Hungary

4.5M

3.6M

 

-0.9M

-21%

Bulgaria

2.8M

1.9M

 

-0.9M

-31%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Country

Decline
2025-2050

% Decline
2025-2050

Germany

-7.8M

-19%

Italy

-6.9M

-31%

Spain

-5.9M

-28%

Poland

-4.6M

-28%

Romania

-2.0M

-27%

Greece

-1.1M

-28%

Portugal

-1.1M

-23%

Czechia

-1.0M

-21%

Hungary

-0.9M

-21%

Bulgaria

-0.9M

-31%

 

 

 
Source: World Economics Population Database, 2025




The workforce represents those in the working-age population (aged 15-64) who are in employed work. The largest decline is projected to be in Germany with nearly 8 million in the current workforce disappearing. The largest decline as a percentage of the current workforce is projected to be in Italy and Bulgaria. These countries are likely to lose almost a third of their current workforces.

More for subscribers:  
See more...Workforce Population Data
See more...Workforce Size to Each Elderly Dependent (65+)

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