Employer enterprise demography

Since 2014, the data collection on employer business demography is mandatory also on European level. The legal basis is a commission implementing regulation amending Annex IX of the revised EU regulation on structural business statistics and on national level the business demography regulation. On national level, the expected European obligation was anticipated by the business demography regulation (adopted in 2009). According to this legal basis, in 2014, data have to be compiled for reference year 2012. The data are shown by economic activities (NACE Rev.2) and legal form, by economic activities and employee size class, by economic activities and provinces as well as NUTS3 and for sole proprietorships by economic activities and gender.

Further information on the methodology of the data collection.

Overview of the results for 2012

In 2012, 18 423 new employer enterprises were created with 68 669 persons employed (50 110 of them employees). The employer enterprise birth rate was 7.8% and therefore increased compared with the year 2011 by 0.1 percentage points. The highest birth rates are found in the economic activities “Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply" (12.9%), “Human health and social work activities” (10.0%) and “Professional, scientific and technical activities” (9.2%). In industry and construction (sections B-F, NACE Rev.2), the birth rate was lower (7.7%) than in the services sector (sections G-S, excluding 64.2 "Management activities of holding companies": 7.8%).

The survival rate of newly created employer enterprises in 2004 that survived until 2005 amounted to 88.4%. One year later (2006) 78.9% of this cohort survived. The average survival rates for the employer enterprises that survived three and four years were 72.2% and 66.8%. Five years later (2009), more than half of the employer enterprises founded in 2004 were still active (62.1%). After six years, the survival rate sinks to 57.7% and after seven years it counts 53.4% . Eight years later (2012), less than half (48.8%) of the employer enterprises founded in 2004 were still active. The highest eight-year survival rates were recorded for the economic activities “Human health and social work activities” (74.9%), “Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities” (69.0%) and “Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply” (67.9%).

17 985 employer enterprises with 66 891 employees were closed in 2012. On average, the death rate was 7.6% and thus remained the same as in 2011. Death rates above this average can be found in the activities "Education" (13.0%), “Financial and insurance activities” (12.5%) and “Arts, entertainment and recreation” (11.4%). In industry and construction (sections B-F), the death rate was 7.2% and in the services sector (sections G-S, without 64.2) 8.1%.

On average, in 2012, the same number of jobs per employer enterprise was created than lost (3.7 jobs, for self-employed persons and employees). In absolute counts, most jobs were created in the sectors “Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles” (13 602) “Accommodation and food service activities” (11 804) and „Construction” (9 418).

Results and information on Business Demography Statistics.