While headlines may focus on individual sectors, Europe's industrial might is far from a single-story narrative, with a staggering €6.7 trillion in annual manufacturing output supporting 32.5 million jobs and driving the continent's economic engine.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the EU's manufacturing sector produced goods worth €6.7 trillion, accounting for 15.6% of total EU GDP
- Germany's industrial production volume grew by 0.4% in December 2023 compared to November
- EU industrial production excluding construction increased by 0.8% in January 2024 year-over-year
- In 2023, EU manufacturing employment totaled 32.5 million people, representing 14% of total employment
- Germany's industrial workforce was 7.8 million in 2023
- EU manufacturing jobs declined by 1.2% from 2022 to 2023
- EU industrial investment reached €250 billion in 2023
- Germany invested €85 billion in manufacturing in 2023
- EU FDI inflows to manufacturing €120 billion in 2022
- EU R&D expenditure in industry 3.1% of GDP in 2022
- Germany spent €110 billion on industrial R&D in 2023
- EU patent applications in manufacturing 150,000 in 2023
- EU manufacturing GHG emissions 1.2 billion tonnes CO2eq in 2022
- EU industry energy consumption 25% of total energy use in 2022
- Germany's industrial CO2 emissions fell 5% in 2023
Europe's manufacturing industry is a vast, innovative, and evolving economic force.
Employment
- In 2023, EU manufacturing employment totaled 32.5 million people, representing 14% of total employment
- Germany's industrial workforce was 7.8 million in 2023
- EU manufacturing jobs declined by 1.2% from 2022 to 2023
- France employed 2.9 million in industry in 2023
- Italy's industrial employment 3.7 million in 2023
- Spain's manufacturing sector had 2.1 million jobs in 2023
- Poland's industry employed 2.4 million in 2023
- Netherlands manufacturing jobs 700,000 in 2023
- EU chemicals industry employed 1.2 million in 2023
- Automotive sector in EU had 13 million jobs in 2023
- EU steel industry employment 320,000 in 2023
- Food and drink industry employed 4.7 million in EU-27 in 2023
- EU pharma sector jobs 850,000 in 2023
- Machinery industry employment 3.2 million in 2023
- EU textiles and apparel employed 1.5 million in 2023
- Construction industry jobs 5.5 million in EU 2023
- EU energy sector employed 1.8 million in 2023
- Electronics manufacturing jobs 1.1 million in EU 2023
- Plastics industry employment 1.6 million across Europe in 2023
- EU aerospace jobs 840,000 in 2023
- Wind energy sector employed 400,000 in EU by end-2023
- EU shipbuilding employment 150,000 in 2023
- Furniture industry jobs 1 million in EU 2023
- Mining and quarrying employed 1.2 million in EU 2023
- EU R&D personnel in manufacturing 2.5 million full-time equivalents in 2022
- Youth employment rate in EU industry 25.3% in 2023
Employment Interpretation
Germany remains Europe's industrial engine, but the continent's factory floor is a mosaic of shifting sectors where building a car or a sandwich offers more job security than forging steel, hinting at an economy quietly retooling itself bite by byte.
Investment and Trade
- EU industrial investment reached €250 billion in 2023
- Germany invested €85 billion in manufacturing in 2023
- EU FDI inflows to manufacturing €120 billion in 2022
- France's industrial investment €35 billion in 2023
- Italy's machinery investment €15 billion in 2023
- EU exports of manufactured goods €2.1 trillion in 2023
- Spain's automotive exports €30 billion in 2023
- Poland attracted €10 billion FDI in industry 2023
- Netherlands chemicals investment €8 billion in 2023
- EU intra-trade in industrial products 65% of total trade in 2023
- EU steel industry capex €12 billion in 2023
- Pharma R&D investment €38 billion in EU 2023
- EU greenfield FDI projects in manufacturing 1,200 in 2023
- Germany's trade surplus in machinery €50 billion in 2023
- EU imports of industrial goods €1.9 trillion in 2023
- Italy's export growth in chemicals 4.5% in 2023
- EU venture capital in industry €25 billion in 2023
- Sweden's investment in metals €5 billion in 2023
- EU automotive trade balance €100 billion surplus in 2023
- Belgium's investment in glass €2 billion in 2023
- EU plastics recycling investment €10 billion in 2023
- Finland's tech industry FDI €4 billion in 2023
- EU aerospace investment €20 billion in 2023
- Hungary's automotive FDI €3 billion in 2023
- EU energy infrastructure investment €200 billion in 2023
- Czech machinery export €25 billion in 2023
Investment and Trade Interpretation
Europe's industrial engine is roaring back to life with a quarter-trillion-euro jolt of investment, proving that while the world shops for its goods, the bloc itself remains its own best customer and most serious workshop.
Production and Output
- In 2022, the EU's manufacturing sector produced goods worth €6.7 trillion, accounting for 15.6% of total EU GDP
- Germany's industrial production volume grew by 0.4% in December 2023 compared to November
- EU industrial production excluding construction increased by 0.8% in January 2024 year-over-year
- France's manufacturing output reached 245.2 billion euros in 2022
- Italy's industrial production index was 102.1 in 2023 (2015=100)
- EU steel production totaled 126.5 million tonnes in 2023
- Netherlands' chemical industry output grew 2.1% in 2023
- EU cement production was 170.2 million tonnes in 2022
- Spain's automotive production hit 2.45 million vehicles in 2023
- EU pharmaceutical production value was €300 billion in 2022
- Poland's manufacturing PMI was 50.2 in February 2024
- EU food and beverage industry output €1.1 trillion in 2022
- Sweden's pulp and paper production 10.2 million tonnes in 2023
- EU machinery production €250 billion in 2022
- Belgium's glass industry produced 12 million tonnes in 2023
- EU textile production value €170 billion in 2022
- Austria's metal industry output 45 billion euros in 2023
- EU electronics manufacturing €300 billion in 2022
- Denmark's wind turbine production capacity 15 GW in 2023
- EU rubber and plastics output 50 million tonnes in 2022
- Finland's electronics industry revenue €20 billion in 2023
- EU furniture production €80 billion in 2022
- Ireland's pharma production €100 billion in 2023
- EU leather goods production 1.2 billion sqm in 2022
- Czech Republic's machinery output €30 billion in 2023
- EU aerospace production 1,200 aircraft in 2023
- Hungary's automotive parts production 5 million units in 2023
- EU shipbuilding output 1.5 million GT in 2022
- Romania's textile output €4 billion in 2023
- EU tobacco products production 120 billion cigarettes in 2022
Production and Output Interpretation
Despite heroic headline growth figures, Europe’s industrial engine is a complex patchwork of titans and tinkerers, churning out everything from €6.7 trillion in widgets to billions of cigarettes, proving the continent still makes things, just don’t ask all its sectors to hum in unison.
R&D and Innovation
- EU R&D expenditure in industry 3.1% of GDP in 2022
- Germany spent €110 billion on industrial R&D in 2023
- EU patent applications in manufacturing 150,000 in 2023
- France's R&D intensity in industry 2.2% in 2022
- Sweden leads EU with 3.5% R&D in manufacturing GDP share 2022
- EU Horizon Europe funding to industry €10 billion in 2023
- Italy's industrial patents 25,000 granted in 2023
- EU AI patents from industry 40,000 in 2023
- Netherlands chemicals R&D €5 billion in 2023
- Pharma R&D patents 30,000 in EU 2023
- EU robotics industry R&D €2 billion annually average 2020-2023
- Germany's automotive R&D €40 billion in 2023
- EU biotech firms 4,500 with R&D focus in 2023
- Finland's cleantech R&D investment €1.5 billion 2023
- EU 5G industrial applications R&D €3 billion in 2023
- Spain's renewable energy R&D €800 million 2023
- EU nanotechnology patents 10,000 from industry 2023
- Poland's industry digitalization R&D €1 billion 2023
- EU battery tech R&D €5 billion via IPCEI 2023
- Austria's metal R&D €1.2 billion 2023
- EU semiconductors R&D €8 billion 2023
- Denmark's wind tech patents 2,500 in 2023
- EU circular economy R&D projects 500 funded 2023
- Ireland pharma R&D €5 billion 2023
- EU industrial robots installed 70,000 units 2023
- Belgium advanced materials R&D €900 million 2023
R&D and Innovation Interpretation
Europe's industrial engine hums with competitive spirit, from Germany's automotive billions to Sweden's high-intensity lead, yet the patchwork of national R&D spending reveals a continent simultaneously sprinting and limping toward a unified technological future.
Sustainability
- EU manufacturing GHG emissions 1.2 billion tonnes CO2eq in 2022
- EU industry energy consumption 25% of total energy use in 2022
- Germany's industrial CO2 emissions fell 5% in 2023
- EU circular material use rate in manufacturing 12.8% in 2022
- France renewable energy in industry 20% share 2023
- EU steel sector recycled 85% scrap in 2023
- Italy chemicals water usage reduced 15% 2015-2022
- EU plastics recycling rate 34.6% in 2022
- Spain cement low-carbon production 30% share 2023
- EU industry waste generation 300 million tonnes in 2022
- Netherlands industry energy efficiency +2% improvement 2023
- EU automotive EV production 2.5 million units 2023
- Poland coal phase-out industry impact 10% jobs shift 2023
- EU food industry water footprint 100 billion m3 annually
- Sweden forest industry carbon sink 50 million tonnes CO2 2023
- EU textiles recycled fibers 20% use target 2025 met early
- Belgium glass recycling rate 76% in 2023
- EU wind turbines recycled materials 85-90% by weight 2023
- Finland paper industry zero-waste mills 40% in 2023
- EU pharma waste reduction 25% since 2015 in 2023
- Austria metals recycling 95% rate 2023
- EU electronics WEEE collection 50% target achieved 2023
- Denmark industry biogas use 15% energy 2023
- EU cement CO2 intensity 0.72 tCO2/t clinker 2022
- Ireland data centers energy efficiency improved 20% 2023
- EU machinery sector Scope 1+2 emissions down 10% 2023
- Hungary automotive battery recycling 70% capacity 2023
Sustainability Interpretation
While Europe's industry still carries a hefty 1.2 billion tonne carbon backpack, the continent is proving it can walk lighter, from Germany’s shrinking industrial footprint to steel’s 85% recycling hustle, Spain’s leaner cement, and Sweden’s forest sinks, stitching together a patchwork of progress where every recycled fiber, saved drop of water, and efficient kilowatt counts.
Sources & References
- Reference 1ECec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 2STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 3WORLDSTEELworldsteel.orgVisit source
- Reference 4CEFICIcefici.orgVisit source
- Reference 5CEMBUREAUcembureau.euVisit source
- Reference 6ANFACanfac.comVisit source
- Reference 7EFPIAefpia.euVisit source
- Reference 8PMIpmi.spglobal.comVisit source
- Reference 9FOODDRINKEUROPEfooddrinkeurope.euVisit source
- Reference 10SKOGSINDUSTRIERNAskogsindustrierna.seVisit source
- Reference 11EUROFEReurofer.euVisit source
- Reference 12FEVEfeve.orgVisit source
- Reference 13EURATEXeuratex.euVisit source
- Reference 14FACHVERBAND-STAHLfachverband-stahl.atVisit source
- Reference 15EUROCIRCUITSeurocircuits.comVisit source
- Reference 16ENSens.dkVisit source
- Reference 17PLASTICS-EUROPEplastics-europe.orgVisit source
- Reference 18TECHNOLOGYINDUSTRIEStechnologyindustries.fiVisit source
- Reference 19CSILFURNITUREcsilfurniture.wordpress.comVisit source
- Reference 20IBECibec.ieVisit source
- Reference 21UNICunic.itVisit source
- Reference 22SSTsst.czVisit source
- Reference 23ASD-EUROPEasd-europe.orgVisit source
- Reference 24MAGYARAMKmagyaramk.huVisit source
- Reference 25AOIRaoir.roVisit source
- Reference 26TOBACCOINEUROPEtobaccoineurope.euVisit source
- Reference 27DESTATISdestatis.deVisit source
- Reference 28INSEEinsee.frVisit source
- Reference 29ISTATistat.itVisit source
- Reference 30INEine.esVisit source
- Reference 31STATstat.gov.plVisit source
- Reference 32CBScbs.nlVisit source
- Reference 33ACEAacea.autoVisit source
- Reference 34OR-GALor-gal.euVisit source
- Reference 35ENERGYenergy.ec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 36WINDEUROPEwindeurope.orgVisit source
- Reference 37FDIINTELLIGENCEfdiintelligence.comVisit source
- Reference 38INVESTEUROPEinvesteurope.euVisit source
- Reference 39REArea.ec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 40UIBMuibm.gov.itVisit source
- Reference 41IFRifr.orgVisit source
- Reference 42VDAvda.deVisit source
- Reference 43EFBCENTRALefbcentral.orgVisit source
- Reference 44BUSINESSFINLANDbusinessfinland.fiVisit source
- Reference 45DIGITAL-STRATEGYdigital-strategy.ec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 46IDAEidae.esVisit source
- Reference 47PARPparp.gov.plVisit source
- Reference 48SINGLE-MARKET-ECONOMYsingle-market-economy.ec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 49FFGffg.atVisit source
- Reference 50BELSPObelspo.beVisit source
- Reference 51STATISTIQUESstatistiques.developpement-durable.gouv.frVisit source
- Reference 52PAPERONWEBpaperonweb.comVisit source
- Reference 53SEAIseai.ieVisit source