Where Europe spends its money: A look at public spending across the continent
European governments allocate the largest share of their spending to social protection, while the second-largest category varies across countries. Euronews Business takes a closer look at how governments spend public money on services.
Across Europe, citizens contribute through taxes, which make up a significant portion of public revenues used to finance essential services like education, healthcare, and social protection. In 2024, tax revenues accounted for 40.3% of the EU's GDP, while total government expenditures surpassed this at 49.6%. Social protection, covering risks like unemployment and old age, dominates this spending, comprising 40% of government spending.
Health care is the second-largest expenditure category in the EU, with a 15% share, but varies significantly across countries, ranging from 6.7% in Switzerland to 24.3% in Ireland. The UK spends more on health, at 19%, compared to major EU economies such as France and Germany. Social protection and health together account for over half of government spending in two-thirds of countries, and represent 55% of spending in the EU. The EU's largest economies, including the UK, surpass the EU average in these categories.
Written by urgent.news from Euronews's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
