Malta Among EU Leaders in Young Entrepreneurship as Eurostat Reports Sharp Rise in Teen Business Owners
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New Eurostat data shows that Malta is one of the European Union’s strongest performers in youth entrepreneurship, with young business owners aged 20–29 making up 10.5% of the national workforce—the second‑highest rate in the EU after Slovakia. The figures place Malta well above the EU average of 8%, underscoring the island’s increasingly dynamic start‑up culture among younger workers.
Across the EU, more than two million people aged 20 to 29 are running their own businesses. Slovakia (12%), Malta (10.5%) and Romania (10%) lead the bloc, while countries such as Ireland, Bulgaria and Spain report the lowest shares, at 5–6%.
Eurostat also highlights a fast‑growing group of teenage entrepreneurs aged 15–19, now numbering around 69,000 across the EU—a 10% increase since 2022. This segment remains male‑dominated, with 47,000 boys and 22,000 girls. The Netherlands and Italy record the highest numbers of teen business owners, while Turkey—outside the EU—shows an even larger surge, with nearly 33,000 teens running companies.
The report also compares Europe’s business environments. Estonia stands out for its fully digital company‑registration system and 0% tax on reinvested profits. Portugal offers low‑cost, streamlined registration, while Ireland remains attractive due to its 12.5% corporate tax rate and generous R&D incentives. The Netherlands provides substantial rebates for innovation investment, and Cyprus maintains a competitive regime despite raising its corporate tax to 15%.
For small firms, Lithuania offers one of Europe’s most favourable SME frameworks, including a 0% corporate tax in the first year and low labour‑cost taxation.
Eurostat also notes that Malta ranks second in the EU for youth employment, with 82% of people aged 20–29 in work—just behind the Netherlands at 84%.
