Data extracted in March 2025
Planned article update: April 2026
Highlights
This article has been drafted as a result of the second round of a micro data linking (MDL) exercise between EuroGroups Register (EGR) and Structural Business Statistics. Multinational enterprise (MNE) groups play a major role in the EU economy. They contribute substantially to the production of goods and services, employment and investment in all EU countries. This article presents some findings of an exercise of 14 countries (Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Sweden, and Norway) that used micro data linking (MDL) to derive new breakdowns of selected indicators of structural business statistics (SBS) according to information on multinational enterprises (MNEs) available from the EuroGroups Register (EGR). Additionally, the MDL technique helps to identify data inconsistencies across domains and countries and thus improves the quality of statistical output. The data in this article refer to the reference year 2022.
Presence and economic relevance of enterprises belonging to MNE Groups
One of the key aspects of this MDL exercise was to provide the data on the most significant SBS variables broken down by “group status” of the enterprises, using the information available in the EuroGroups Register. Furthermore, with this analysis a comparison of the economic indicators between independent enterprises and those enterprises that belong to an all-resident or a multinational enterprise (MNE) group can be made. This analysis focuses solely on the data for the reference year 2022.
,_2022.png)
For the 14 participating countries, the average share of independent enterprises operating on the national territory reached 95% out of all active enterprises. However, the remaining 5% of enterprises that belonged to an all-resident or a multinational enterprise group (either domestically or foreign-controlled) recorded a significant contribution in terms of employment as they employed on average more than 47% of the total persons employed in the respective countries. In addition, dependent enterprises contributed with more than 67% as regards wages and salaries, and 74% of the net turnover, and created more than 68% of the total value added and 69% of the gross operating surplus. This pattern, which highlights the economic importance of enterprises belonging to an all-resident or to a multinational enterprise group, is observed in all participating countries.
Focussing on the enterprises that belong to an MNE group, even though they represented only 1% of the total number of enterprises in the 14 countries, they accounted for 31% of the total employment, 49% of the total wages and salaries, 59% of the net turnover, 53% of the value added and 56% of the gross operating surplus. This data provides evidence of the significant economic presence of MNE groups operating in the national economies.
Selected economic indicators of enterprises by country and group status, 2022
At country level, the share of independent enterprises was highest in Greece and the Netherlands (both around 99%) as well as Spain (98%), followed by Portugal (97%), Italy and Ireland (both 96%).
As with employment, the highest share of persons employed on the total employment in independent enterprises was observed for Greece (86%), followed by Portugal and Ireland (around 67%). Denmark recorded the lowest share with 27%, followed by Norway (30%), Sweden (32%) and Austria (33%).
For wages and salaries, it can be observed that 1% of the Belgian enterprises belonging to a foreign-controlled MNE group paid 40% of the total wages and salaries. A similar trend can also be recorded for Ireland, where 40% of total wages and salaries were paid by just 3% of enterprises belonging to foreign-controlled MNE groups.
In France, the highest share of wages and salaries can be attributed to enterprises belonging to domestically controlled MNE groups (around 34% of the total wages and salaries), even if they account only for 0.3% of the total number of enterprises.
The analysis shows that the level of wages and salaries paid by dependent enterprises is generally much higher than the one by independent enterprises.
Enterprises belonging to foreign-controlled MNE groups generated the highest share of net turnover in Ireland (72%), followed by Malta (53%) and Belgium (48%). In Greece, on the contrary, independent enterprises recorded the highest share of net turnover (54%) generated in 2022.
Also, for net turnover, enterprises that were part of foreign-controlled MNE groups in Ireland (71%), Malta (46%) and Belgium (38%) recorded the highest shares of value added.
Gross operating surplus of enterprises belonging to foreign-controlled MNE groups reached 81% in Ireland, while in Denmark (61%), Norway (63%) and France (35%) enterprises belonging to domestically controlled MNE groups had the highest values.
In Table 1, the 2022 detailed results in percentage values for each country are displayed[1]:
.png)
Performance indicators of enterprises by group status, 2022
In 2022 the average size of enterprises in terms of employment for all the 14 countries indicated that independent enterprises employed on average the lowest number of persons (2.3 persons employed). Enterprises that were a part of an all-resident (domestic) enterprise group have an average size of 19 persons employed and those belonging to foreign-controlled MNE groups, around 88 persons employed. The highest average size was observed for enterprises belonging to domestically controlled MNE groups, with around 140 persons employed.
,_2022v2.png)
Average wages and salaries of independent enterprises amount to €19 000 per employee per year for the 14 countries (ranging from €8 000 in Greece up to €39 000 in Denmark). The average value is significantly higher for enterprises belonging to enterprise groups, being all-resident or multinational. In enterprises belonging to all-resident enterprise groups, wages and salaries reached on average €36 000 per employee per year (€17 000 in Portugal and €60 000 in Ireland); while the average salaries and wages paid by enterprises belonging to domestically controlled MNE groups reached €49 000 per year (€23 000 in Portugal and €73 000 in Ireland). The highest average value of wages and salaries was recorded for enterprises being part of a foreign-controlled MNE group with €50 000 per year (€24 000 in Portugal and around €66 000 in Ireland). In Belgium, Ireland, Malta, Austria and Italy, the average wages and salaries in an enterprise belonging to a national enterprise group was twice as high as that of an independent enterprise. In Greece, wages and salaries paid by national enterprise groups are 2.7 times higher than those paid by independent enterprises. For enterprises belonging to an MNE group (domestically or foreign-controlled) average wages and salaries were 3 times higher than in an independent enterprise in Greece, Italy, Belgium and Austria.
,_2022v2.png)
Apparent labour productivity, calculated as the ratio of value added and number of persons employed, is a performance indicator highly correlated to the group status of the enterprises. Independent enterprises always scored lower figures compared with dependent enterprises, and particularly those being part of a foreign-controlled MNE group. On average, across the 14 countries, the apparent labour productivity ranged from €42 000 per person employed in independent enterprises, to €67 000 in domestic enterprise groups, €111 000 in domestically controlled MNE groups and €122 000 in foreign-controlled ones. Ireland and Norway show exceptional values for enterprises belonging to foreign-controlled MNE groups and domestic-controlled MNE groups respectively.
Selected economic indicators of enterprises by NACE sections and group status, 2022
The presence and economic behaviour of enterprises according to their group status was not uniform across different industries. In terms of employment, the share of independent enterprises was higher in specific activities, such as repairing (Section S) (88%), education (Section P) (81%), accommodation and food services (Section I) (72%), human health and social work activities (Section Q) (71%), arts, entertainment and recreation (Section R) (70%), as well as real estate (Section L) (69%).
Looking at activities where the enterprises belonging to the MNE groups (both domestically and foreign-controlled) are often present, it can be observed that electricity/gas/steam/air conditioning (Section D) (70%), mining and quarrying (Section B) (61%), information and communication (Section J) (54%), and manufacturing (Section C) (50%) are the most relevant sectors in terms of employment.
Source: EuroGroups Register and SBS data
Link to Nace Rev.2 classification
Wages and salaries paid by enterprises belonging to MNE groups (both domestically and foreign-controlled) were highest in the electricity/gas/steam/air conditioning (Section D) (79%), mining and quarrying (Section B) (79%), information and communication (Section J) (69%) or manufacturing (Section C) (67%) industries.
Source: EuroGroups Register and SBS data
Link to Nace Rev.2 classification
Value added follows a similar pattern to employment: the highest share of the valued added created by enterprises belonging to an MNE group (domestically and foreign-controlled) could be recorded for the same activities: mining and quarrying (Section B) (82%), information and communication (Section J) (74%), manufacturing (Section C) (72%), electricity/gas/steam/air conditioning (Section D) (69%).
Source: EuroGroups Register and SBS data
Link to Nace Rev.2 classification
Feedback
To help Eurostat improve these experimental statistics, users and researchers are kindly invited to give us their feedback by email
Source data for tables and graphs
Data sources
This micro data linking exercise focused on linking the available statistical information from following data sources:
- the Structural business statistics (SBS)
- the National Statistical Business Registers (national BRs)
- the EuroGroups Register (EGR)
The SBS describe the detailed structure, economic activity, and performance of businesses over time. The SBS data collection has a very good coverage in terms of size classes of enterprises and their economic activity. Thus, this source provides the most comprehensive picture of the European economy, both at country and EU level.
The National Statistical Business Registers (national BRs): register of businesses at national level, of which a common core is harmonised pursuant to this Regulation, as a basis for the preparation and coordination of surveys and as a source of information for the statistical analysis of the business population and its demography, for the use of administrative data, and for the identification and construction of statistical units.
The EuroGroups register (EGR) is the source of the multinational enterprise groups data. It produces data in yearly cycles and covers microdata on the MNE groups and their consisting enterprises and legal units. It serves statistical purposes only. Access to EGR data is restricted to national statistical institutes and national central banks that produce official statistics in the EU Member States and EFTA countries. The EGR aims to register all multinational enterprise groups that have enterprises in EU Member States or EFTA countries, including European and non-European MNE groups. EGR does not cover all-resident enterprise groups – those that consist of enterprises only in 1 country, nor independent enterprises.
Context
Globalisation and the increasing complexity of multinational enterprise group activities makes it challenging to record as well as to analyse correctly and consistently the MNE group activities in European statistics. The ultimate goal of this project was to produce new statistical indicators that could improve insight into business performance of enterprises that build a part of an MNE Group, either domestically or foreign-controlled. The method used was the micro data linking (MDL), where the use of unique identification numbers for enterprises in different statistical domains was a key pre-condition for being successful. Microdata linking is increasingly recognised as a powerful tool to provide new statistics without increasing the burden on respondents. For business statistics, business registers are the backbone of most microdata initiatives.
Explore further
Other articles
Thematic section
Publications
Methodology
Legislation
- Regulation (EEC) No 696/1993 of 15 March 1993 on the statistical units for the observation and analysis of the production system in the Community (Summary)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 on European business statistics, repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 of 30 July 2020 laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics
- ↑ Ireland, Greece, France, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Norway provided data for the new SBS coverage (NACE rev.2 B-N, P-R +S95+S96). Belgium, Denmark, Sweden provided data for the old SBS coverage (B-N excluding K +S95). Italy provided the new coverage without section K, Spain provided the new SBS coverage without sections F and K. Finland used the Legal Unit as statistical unit; France included social security charges in wages and salaries; Norway has a large part of enterprise groups consisting of only 2 units of which 1 is economically active and the other is registered as a holding company resulting in a high number of dependent small and medium sized enterprises.