European Review Issue 37 page 9

EUROPEAN REVIEW

ISSUE 37 - Page 9

stats and facts

Germany ahead in high-tech jobs

Germany is top of the league when it comes to manufacturing goods that use a high or medium level of technology. 6.8% of total employment in the EU was accounted for by these industries in 2004 but Germany recorded a figure of 11.2%. It also provided 7 of the top 15 regions. Bottom of the pile was Cyprus with the UK coming in fifteenth. High-tech exports made up 18% of total EU exports in the same year compared to Japan’s 22% and the USA figure of 29%. Malta, Ireland and Luxembourg were most dependent on this sector while Germany led the way in export surplus over imports.

Member State	% employed in high- and medium-tech manufacturing	Top 15 regions for high- and medium-tech manufacturing	Thousands of jobs
Germany	11.2
Czech Republic	9.0
Slovakia	8.6	Lombardy	443.6
Slovenia	8.4	Stuttgart	414.5
Hungary	8.3	Upper Bavaria	280.2
Malta	7.7	Île de France	261.1
Italy	7.5	Catalonia	255.1
Sweden	7.1	Veneto	229.6
Finland	6.8	Piedmont	216.4
EU 25	6.8	Karlsruhe	214.2
Ireland	6.5	Rhône-Alpes	212.3
France	6.5	Darmstadt	209.0
Belgium	6.4	Düsseldorf	198.9
Austria	6.2	Emilia-Romagna	196.9
Denmark	6.0	Cologne	175.8
United Kingdom	5.7	Denmark	163.6
Estonia	5.1	Freiburg	155.0
Poland	4.9
Spain	4.9
Portugal	3.5
Netherlands	3.3
Lithuania	2.8
Greece	2.2
Latvia	1.4
Luxembourg	1.3
Cyprus	1.2

More women in workforce

According to a Eurostat Labour Force Survey, between 1999 and 2005 the inactivity rate for women dropped by 3%. One of the aims of the ‘Lisbon’ process is to increase the total percentage of the population at work in the EU. Among the specific targets is the raising of the employment rate for women to 60%. As well as finding jobs for those looking for work this involves recruiting females who are currently ‘inactive’ or outside the labour force. Mainly because of family responsibilities women are far more likely to be in this position with the gap varying from 9% in the Nordic and Baltic countries to 42% in Malta.

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