EU governments' expenditure by function 2023| ��ƽ��

Share of annual general government expenditure in the European Union in 2023, by member state

Characteristic	Social protection	Environmental protection	Housing and community amenities	Public order and safety	Defence	Recreation, culture and religion	General public services	Health	Economic affairs	Education
European Union	39.2%	1.7%	2.4%	3.5%	2.7%	2.4%	12%	14.8%	11.8%	9.6%
Euro area	39.9%	1.7%	2.4%	3.4%	2.5%	2.3%	12%	14.9%	11.5%	9.3%
Finland	46%	0.4%	0.8%	2.2%	2.6%	3%	11.8%	13.7%	8.2%	11.3%
Luxembourg	42.2%	2.4%	1.3%	2.8%	1.1%	2.8%	11.9%	11.6%	13.1%	10.7%
Denmark	41.5%	0.8%	0.7%	2.1%	3.8%	3.2%	12.4%	17.5%	6.4%	11.7%
France	40.9%	1.8%	2.2%	3%	3.1%	3.2%	10.9%	15.5%	11.1%	8.8%
Spain	40.7%	2.1%	1.1%	4%	2.1%	2.8%	12.5%	14.5%	11%	9.3%
Austria	40.6%	1.1%	0.7%	2.6%	1.1%	2.3%	10.8%	17.3%	14.1%	9.3%
Germany	40.6%	1.2%	0.9%	3.3%	2.1%	2.3%	12.7%	15.6%	12%	9.2%
Switzerland	39.3%	1.6%	0.6%	4.9%	2.6%	2.9%	12.7%	6.6%	11.8%	16.9%
Italy	39.3%	1.7%	8.1%	3.2%	2.2%	1.5%	13.8%	12.1%	10.8%	7.3%
Portugal	39.2%	1.8%	1.3%	3.8%	1.8%	2.2%	13.6%	15.9%	10.3%	10.3%
Sweden	37.8%	1.2%	1.6%	2.9%	3.6%	2.8%	10.6%	14.9%	10.2%	14.6%
Belgium	37.7%	2.3%	0.7%	3.2%	1.8%	2.3%	12.7%	14.8%	12.7%	11.9%
Netherlands	37.6%	3.4%	1.4%	4.2%	3.1%	2.6%	8.3%	16.2%	11.8%	11.3%
Lithuania	37.5%	1.5%	1.8%	3.3%	6.8%	3.3%	9.2%	14.1%	8.8%	13.8%
Norway	37.4%	2%	1.7%	2.2%	3.8%	3.2%	10.8%	17.1%	11.9%	9.9%
Greece	37.3%	3.1%	0.8%	3.9%	4.5%	2.2%	16.5%	11.7%	11.9%	8%
Slovenia	36.5%	2%	1.1%	3.5%	2.6%	3.2%	9.8%	15.9%	13.6%	11.7%
Slovakia	36.4%	1.9%	1.1%	5%	2.5%	2.4%	11.4%	13.6%	15.4%	10.3%
Cyprus	36.1%	1.7%	4.5%	4%	4.6%	1.4%	13.5%	14.5%	7.2%	12.5%
Poland	35.9%	1.4%	1.5%	4.8%	4.4%	2.8%	10.4%	12.2%	16%	10.5%
Ireland	35.5%	1.6%	2.5%	3.5%	1.1%	2%	9.8%	22.8%	9%	12.3%
Bulgaria	35.5%	1.8%	2.6%	6.7%	3.8%	2%	8.2%	14.2%	14.8%	10.5%
Romania	31.4%	1.8%	3.6%	6.5%	4.2%	2.5%	13.2%	11.6%	16.9%	8.4%
Estonia	31.3%	1.7%	1.1%	4.3%	6.3%	4.7%	9.6%	15.1%	11.4%	14.5%
Latvia	31%	1.1%	2.1%	5.9%	7.2%	3%	8.9%	12.1%	14.7%	14%
Czechia	30.7%	1.9%	1.9%	4%	2.7%	3%	10.4%	20.3%	14.7%	10.3%
Croatia	27.8%	1.8%	3.5%	4.6%	2.8%	4.2%	10.4%	16.8%	16.7%	11.3%
Malta	26.6%	3.3%	2.1%	3.9%	1.2%	4.2%	13.3%	14.1%	20%	11.3%
Hungary	24.9%	1.2%	3.3%	3.4%	3.8%	5.2%	20.7%	8.2%	18.6%	10.6%
Iceland	23.9%	1.6%	1.4%	3.4%	0.1%	6.5%	19.4%	18%	10.8%	14.8%

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Release date

November 2025

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Region

Europe, EU

Survey time period

2023

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The government activity that received the greatest share of government spending among member states of the European Union in 2023 was social protection. Social protection refers to welfare measures such as family and child benefits, unemployment benefits, social assistance programs, and other social security expenditures.

Some member states, such as Finland, Luxembourg, and Denmark, spend more than 41 percent on this function, while countries such as Malta, Hungary, and Iceland spend less than 27 percent. Other common government activities such as providing health care, expenditure on economic affairs such as infrastructure and subsidies, education services, and public order, such as the police force.