Statistics News

  • High share of underemployed women in Norway and Switzerland   04.05.2015

    A part-time worker who wishes to work more, and is available to do so, is defined as underemployed. Eurostat recently published data on underemployment in the European Union (EU) and EFTA countries based on the European Labour Force Survey of 2014.

  • Low unemployment rates in EFTA countries   27.04.2015

    Unemployment rates in Iceland, Norway and Switzerland were low in 2014 compared to those in European Union (EU) countries, according to data published recently by Eurostat.

  • Increasing number of asylum seekers in EFTA countries   30.03.2015

    37 000 people applied for asylum in one of the EFTA countries in 2014. This represents an increase of 11% from 2013, according to new data released by Eurostat.

  • High life satisfaction in EFTA countries   25.03.2015

    Residents of the EFTA countries are generally very satisfied with their lives. Their life satisfaction is among the highest in Europe, according to new Eurostat data released on the occasion of the International Day of Happiness, 20 March 2015.

  • EFTA one of the EU’s largest trading partners in international trade in services   11.02.2015

    The European Union had a surplus in international trade in services of almost EUR 180 billion in 2013, of which one third came from trade with EFTA.

  • Record number of air passengers in EFTA countries in 2013   19.12.2014

    More than 84 million passengers travelled by air in the EFTA countries in 2013, of which 74.4 million to and from EU countries. The largest growth was in Iceland, with 3.2 million passengers, an increase of 16.7% compared to 2012.

  • EFTA countries show decrease in income inequality   18.07.2014

    Income inequality, measured by the Gini coefficient, varies across Europe. Newly published data from Eurostat show that Norway and Slovenia had the lowest inequality among the EU and EFTA countries in 2012, whereas the highest inequality was found in Spain and Latvia. In both Iceland and Switzerland income inequality was below the EU28 average.

  • Visualising European regional statistics   31.03.2014

    European statistics are frequently presented at national level, but the Eurostat website also provides data at regional level. Although regional breakdowns are often also available from the national statistical institutions, the Eurostat website features an application that enables you to make comparisons between regions in different European countries, and visualise the results through interactive graphics.

  • US and EFTA States are the EU’s main partners in trade in services in 2012   20.12.2013

    The European Union’s international trade in services with the rest of the world increased in 2012, with EU exports of services to the EFTA countries rising by 2.4%, from EUR 103.2 billion in 2011 to EUR 105.7 billion in 2012; and EU imports rising by 6.6%, from EUR 69.7 billion to EUR 74.3 bn.

  • Quality of life in 79 European cities   24.10.2013

    Four cities from the EFTA countries have been included in a recent survey on the quality of life in 79 European cities. Three of these have been ranked in the top ten, while the fourth, Geneva, has been ranked 57th in terms of overall satisfaction on living in the city.