{"version":1,"asset_type":"statistical_series","data_type":"time_series","slug":"eu-long-working-hours-rate","url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/eu-long-working-hours-rate","html_url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/eu-long-working-hours-rate/","title":"EU Long Working Hours Rate by Country (2025)","description":"EU Long Working Hours Rate in 2025: 6.2 % of employed persons EU-27 average. Greece highest at 11.8, Bulgaria lowest at 0.3.","domain":"labor","category":"Labour & Employment","keywords":["Labour & Employment","Eurostat","European Union","2025"],"publisher":"Eurostat","frequency":"Annual","geography":"EU-27 member states","temporal_coverage":"2018/2025","unit":"% of employed persons","last_updated":"2026-07-26","last_updated_text":"26 July 2026","data_as_of":"2025","variable_measured":"EU Long Working Hours Rate","license":"https://apiardata.com/data-license","is_accessible_for_free":true,"sources":[{"name":"Eurostat","url":"https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/LFSA_QOE_3A2/default/table"}],"meta":[{"label":"Frequency","value":"Annual"},{"label":"Coverage","value":"2018–2025"},{"label":"Observations","value":"27"},{"label":"Geography","value":"EU-27 member states"},{"label":"Last updated","value":"26 July 2026"}],"kpis":[{"label":"EU-27 (2025)","value":"6.2","unit":"% of employed persons","trend":{"direction":"down","value":"-0.3pp YoY"}},{"label":"Highest","value":"11.8","unit":"Greece"},{"label":"Lowest","value":"0.3","unit":"Bulgaria"},{"label":"Countries","value":"27","unit":"EU member states"}],"series":[{"key":"value","label":"EU Long Working Hours Rate"}],"observation_count":8,"observations":[{"period":"2018","value":8.5},{"period":"2019","value":8.3},{"period":"2020","value":7.5},{"period":"2021","value":7.5},{"period":"2022","value":7.4},{"period":"2023","value":7},{"period":"2024","value":6.5},{"period":"2025","value":6.2}],"table":{"columns":[{"key":"country","label":"Country"},{"key":"value","label":"% of employed persons"},{"key":"yoyChange","label":"YoY Change"}],"rows":[{"country":"Greece","value":"11.8","yoyChange":"-0.9pp"},{"country":"France","value":"9.4","yoyChange":"-0.3pp"},{"country":"Cyprus","value":"9.1","yoyChange":"-0.9pp"},{"country":"Portugal","value":"9.0","yoyChange":"-0.2pp"},{"country":"Belgium","value":"8.5","yoyChange":"+0.2pp"},{"country":"Ireland","value":"7.8","yoyChange":"+0.1pp"},{"country":"Austria","value":"7.7","yoyChange":"unchanged"},{"country":"Italy","value":"7.0","yoyChange":"-0.8pp"},{"country":"Poland","value":"6.6","yoyChange":"-0.4pp"},{"country":"Czechia","value":"6.5","yoyChange":"-0.4pp"},{"country":"Sweden","value":"6.3","yoyChange":"-0.4pp"},{"country":"Slovakia","value":"6.2","yoyChange":"+0.2pp"},{"country":"Spain","value":"6.0","yoyChange":"-0.4pp"},{"country":"Luxembourg","value":"5.9","yoyChange":"-0.4pp"},{"country":"Malta","value":"5.6","yoyChange":"+0.7pp"},{"country":"Finland","value":"5.2","yoyChange":"unchanged"},{"country":"Germany","value":"4.9","yoyChange":"-0.2pp"},{"country":"Netherlands","value":"4.9","yoyChange":"-0.3pp"},{"country":"Slovenia","value":"4.6","yoyChange":"-0.8pp"},{"country":"Denmark","value":"4.2","yoyChange":"-0.2pp"},{"country":"Croatia","value":"2.8","yoyChange":"-0.3pp"},{"country":"Hungary","value":"2.2","yoyChange":"-0.2pp"},{"country":"Estonia","value":"1.9","yoyChange":"-0.3pp"},{"country":"Romania","value":"1.4","yoyChange":"-0.4pp"},{"country":"Lithuania","value":"1.0","yoyChange":"-0.3pp"},{"country":"Latvia","value":"0.9","yoyChange":"unchanged"},{"country":"Bulgaria","value":"0.3","yoyChange":"-0.1pp"}]},"qa":[{"question":"What does the EU Long Working Hours Rate measure?","answer":"This page tracks the share of EU employed persons who usually work 49 or more hours per week — a key work-life balance stress indicator. Country table ranks from highest (most overwork) to lowest. It is published by Eurostat, covers EU-27 member states, and is updated annually."},{"question":"How current is this data?","answer":"The most recent observation covers 2025. Eurostat typically publishes this series with a lag of several months after the reference period. Updated annually."},{"question":"Why do values differ across EU member states?","answer":"Structural differences in labour market institutions, collective bargaining coverage, employment protection legislation, sectoral composition, and social security system design drive divergence across member states. Greece (11.8) and Bulgaria (0.3) represent the extremes of a 11.5-point spread within the bloc."}]}