site.btaIn 2024, Bulgaria Had Second Longest Working Week in EU

In 2024, Bulgaria had the second longest actual weekly hours of work in the EU in their main job, an average of 39.0, after Greece (39.8 hours), Eurostat said on Wednesday. Poland (38.9) and Romania (38.8) were in third and fourth place.

In Bulgaria, the actual weekly hours of work were unchanged from 2023.

By contrast, the Netherlands had the shortest working week (32.1 hours), followed by Denmark, Germany and Austria (each 33.9). 

In 2024, the actual weekly hours for both full-time and part-time workers aged 20-64 in the EU averaged 36.0 hours, down from 37.0 hours in 2014 and 36.1 hours in 2023.

The economic activities recording the longest working week in the EU, in 2024, were agriculture, forestry and fishing (41.2 actual working hours), mining and quarrying (38.8) and construction (38.7), whilst the shortest working weeks were recorded in activities of households as employers (26.7), education (31.9) and arts, entertainment and recreation (32.9).