According to the latest statistics by Eurostat, the bulk of the profits in the EU are made by big enterprises and financial corporations. Large enterprises are defined companies with 249 employees and more. The profit share of non-financial companies in the EU was 40.1% in 2024 down by 1.6% in the previous year.
In 2024, the EU had around 33.5 million enterprises, employing 164.2 million people registering a net turnover of €38.7 trillion. Although large enterprises represented only 0.2% of the total number of enterprises in the EU (55 000 enterprises), they generated more than half and up to 51.3% of the net turnover (€19.9 trillion). They employed 36.3% of the labour force in the business economy (59.7 million people).
Medium-sized enterprises (50-249 people employed) constituted 0.8% of the total number of enterprises in the business economy (251 000) and 15.2% of its employment (24.9 million). These enterprises registered approximately one-fifth (17.2%) of the net turnover of up to €6.6 trillion).
Most companies in the EU business economy, 99.0% (33.2 million), were micro and small enterprises employing up to 49 people. Together, they accounted for almost half of the employment in businesses (48.5%, 80 million) and generated €12.2 trillion in net turnover, representing 31.5% of the total net turnover.
SMEs in Malta generate more than half of all economic activity in Malta and Malta is the only country in the EU, along with Ireland, which generates most of its economic turnover with non-financial corporations (56.44%) compared to Ireland with up to 74.92%.
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