Germany remained by far the largest economy in the European Union in 2025, accounting for almost a quarter of the bloc’s total economic output, while Poland recorded the biggest increase in its share over the past 20 years, according to Eurostat data.
The EU economy was worth about €18.8 trillion in 2025, with Germany contributing around €4.5 trillion, equal to 24.1 per cent of the bloc’s gross domestic product.
France was the second-largest contributor with a 15.9 per cent share, followed by Italy at 12 per cent and Spain at 9 per cent. Together, the four largest economies accounted for 61 per cent of total EU GDP.
The Netherlands ranked fifth, contributing 6.2 per cent. Poland followed closely with 4.9 per cent, while Belgium accounted for 3.4 per cent.
Sweden and Ireland each represented 3.2 per cent of EU GDP. Austria contributed 2.7 per cent, Denmark 2.2 per cent and Romania 2 per cent.
At the other end of the scale, 15 EU countries each accounted for less than 2 per cent of the bloc’s economy. Collectively, these countries represented only 11.2 per cent of total EU GDP.
Czechia contributed 1.8 per cent, Portugal 1.6 per cent, Finland 1.5 per cent, Greece 1.3 per cent and Hungary 1.2 per cent. Malta had the smallest share at 0.1 per cent, while Cyprus, Latvia and Estonia each accounted for 0.2 per cent.
The balance of economic power has shifted over the past two decades. The combined share of Germany, France, Italy and Spain fell from 67.9 per cent in 2005 to 65.3 per cent in 2015 and 61 per cent in 2025.
Italy experienced the largest decline among the major economies. Its share fell from 15.6 per cent in 2005 to 12 per cent in 2025, a drop of 3.6 percentage points. France’s share declined by 2.5 points, from 18.4 per cent to 15.9 per cent.
Spain and Greece each lost 0.7 points, while Germany’s share decreased only slightly, from 24.2 per cent to 24.1 per cent.
Poland recorded the strongest increase, with its share rising from 2.6 per cent in 2005 to 4.9 per cent in 2025. Ireland gained 1.4 points and Romania 1.2 points.
Over the past decade, France, Italy and Germany also lost ground, while Poland continued to expand its contribution to the EU economy.
However, GDP shares measure the overall size of national economies rather than living standards. GDP per capita, adjusted for purchasing power, provides a different picture by accounting for population and differences in living costs.
