62% EU foreign affiliates’ turnover made outside the EU

In 2022, among the foreign affiliates controlled by the institutional units resident in the EU, 52.5% were located outside the EU.

The highest share of enterprises active outside the EU were reported for enterprises controlled by Ireland (65.7%), Spain and Croatia (61.8% each). The lowest shares were for Slovakia (8.3%), Czechia (21.9%) and Latvia (24.3%).

This information comes from data on foreign affiliates of the EU enterprises published recently. The article presents a handful of findings from the more detailed Statistics explained on foreign-controlled enterprises statistics - outward FATS.

EU foreign affiliates outside the EU, 2022, % of foreign affiliates by residing country. Chart. see link to bull dataset below.

Source dataset: fats_out_activ

In 2022, 61.6% of the net turnover of EU foreign affiliates was generated outside the EU. The highest shares of such net turnover were recorded for affiliates controlled by Ireland (74.0%), Cyprus (69.6%) and the Netherlands (68.7%). The lowest shares were for Slovakia (5.7%), Hungary (11.2%) and Lithuania (14.1%).

In terms of gross investment in tangible non-current assets, less than one-third (32.4%) was invested in the enterprises located outside the EU. The highest shares of gross investment in foreign affiliates outside the EU were reported for enterprises controlled by Ireland (77.7%), Denmark (68.0%) and Poland (57.9%). In contrast, single digits were reported for enterprises controlled by Slovakia (1.8%), Romania (2.6%) and Hungary (5.1%).

Highest share of the EU foreign affiliates’ employment was outside the EU

In terms of employment, 61.9% of employees and self-employed people working for foreign affiliates controlled by EU institutional units were located outside the EU. Ireland had the highest share with 81.8%, followed by Spain (74.1%) and Bulgaria (68.2%). The lowest shares were reported for Slovakia (9.5%), Malta (19.7%) and Lithuania (22.0%).

In line with the share of employment, the affiliates’ employee benefits expenses spent outside the EU stood at 61.3% The highest shares of employee benefit expenses outside the EU were reported for affiliates controlled by Ireland (78.6%), Germany (64.4%) and France (61.6%). Lowest shares were reported for Slovakia (7.5%), Romania (13.6%) and Czechia (18.9%).

EU foreign affiliates outside the EU, 2022, % of foreign affiliates by residing country. Chart. See link to full dataset below.