Brussels: Europe and the Arab World

The tax-to-GDP ratio, which is the sum of net taxes and social security contributions as a percentage of GDP, reached 40.4% in the European Union in 2024, up from 39.9% in 2023. In the Eurozone, the tax-to-GDP ratio also rose, from 40.5% in 2023 to 40.9% in 2024. According to figures released by Eurostat, the European statistical office in Brussels, in absolute terms, tax and social security revenues in the EU increased by €387 billion in 2024 compared to 2023, reaching €7,281 billion.

This information is drawn from tax data published by Eurostat today. This article presents some of the findings from the more detailed "Statistics Explained" article on tax revenue statistics.

Denmark, France, and Belgium have the highest tax-to-GDP ratios.

Tax-to-GDP ratios varied considerably among EU countries in 2024, with Denmark (45.8%), France (45.3%), and Belgium (45.1%) recording the highest tax and social security contribution ratios as a percentage of GDP.

Conversely, Ireland (22.4%), Romania (28.8%), and Malta (29.3%) had the lowest ratios.

Largest increases in the tax-to-GDP ratio were in Malta, Latvia, and Slovenia.

In 2024, compared to 2023, the tax-to-GDP ratio increased in 22 EU member states, with the largest increases recorded in Malta (from 26.7% in 2023 to 29.3% in 2024), Latvia (from 33.0% in 2023 to 35.5% in 2024), and Slovenia (from 36.8% in 2023 to 38.8% in 2024).

Conversely, the tax-to-GDP ratio decreased in five EU member states, by between -0.5 and -0.1 percentage points.