In 2023, 50.8% of foreign affiliates controlled by the institutional units resident in the EU countries were located outside the EU.
The highest shares of foreign affiliates active outside the EU were reported as enterprises controlled by institutional units resident in Croatia (64.7%), Spain (60.1%), Portugal and Sweden (57.9% each). Slovakia (6.6%), Greece (9.2%) and Latvia (19.4%) had the lowest shares.
This information comes from data on foreign affiliates of the EU institutional units published by Eurostat. The article presents a handful of findings from the more detailed Statistics explained on foreign-controlled enterprises statistics – outward FATS.
Source dataset: fats_out_activ
In terms of employment, 61.6% of employees and self-employed people working for foreign affiliates controlled by EU institutional units were active outside the EU. Irish entities had the highest share of foreign affiliates’ employees in the enterprises outside the EU (82.3%), followed by Spain (77.0%) and Bulgaria (66.7%). The lowest shares were in Slovakia (6.2%), Latvia (14.0%) and Romania (16.6%).
The foreign affiliates’ employee benefits expenses spent outside the EU stood at 59.1%. The highest shares of employee benefit expenses outside the EU were reported for affiliates controlled by Ireland (76.1%), Spain (61.5%) and Germany (61.3%). The lowest shares were reported for Slovakia (5.7%), Czechia (19.5%) and Romania (24.0%).
EU foreign affiliates outside the EU: 61.2% of net turnover and 32.8% of gross investment
In 2023, 61.2% of the net turnover of foreign affiliates controlled from EU countries was generated outside the EU. The highest shares of such net turnover were recorded for affiliates controlled by Ireland (77.4%), the Netherlands (70.7%) and Spain (69.5%). The lowest shares were for Slovakia (6.2%), Latvia (13.1%) and Hungary (13.9%).
In terms of gross investment in tangible non-current assets, only one-third (32.8%) was invested in enterprises located outside the EU. The highest shares of gross investment in tangible non-current assets in foreign affiliates outside the EU were reported for enterprises controlled by Ireland (80.3%), Denmark (65.9%) and Portugal (60.5%). In contrast, the lowest shares were reported for enterprises controlled by Romania (3.6%), Hungary (6.0%) and Slovakia (10.6%).
Source dataset: fats_out_activ
For more information
- Statistics explained on foreign-controlled enterprises statistics – outward FATS
- Thematic section on globalisation of business
- Database on globalization of business
- Globalization dashboard
Methodological note
For statistical purposes, foreign affiliates are enterprises resident in one country and controlled by an institutional unit resident in another. There are 2 distinct sources of information: inward foreign affiliates statistics (FATS), which cover the activities of enterprises within the EU that are under foreign control and outward FATS, which cover the activities of EU affiliates abroad.
