{"id":2018035,"date":"2026-06-29T10:13:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T07:13:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2018035"},"modified":"2026-06-29T10:13:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T07:13:12","slug":"where-do-workers-take-home-the-smallest-share-of-their-salaries-in-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2018035","title":{"rendered":"Where do workers take home the smallest share of their salaries in Europe?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/29\/28\/1200x675_cmsv2_1015fdce-3a3a-5f19-b051-0eb7a1cb33a1-9812928.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2905892-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2905892\" data-cid=\"9818030\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2905892-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/80\/30\/189x106_cmsv2_580aabd7-835d-524a-bd26-9cf0c1a16fad-9818030.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Participants at Basel\u2019s yodelling festival sing in a fountain, Switzerland, 27 June 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Swiss yodellers rehearse in public fountains as Basel swelters\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2905920-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2905920\" data-cid=\"9818157\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2905920-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/67\/61\/55\/189x106_cmsv2_8c737888-66ec-512a-a906-9326e1a1a4e2-9676155.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"An aerial view of the Gjader migrant camp at Lezh\u00eb region, Albania, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    MEPs blocked from inspecting Italy&#8217;s Albania migrant centre\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2905870-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2905870\" data-cid=\"9817899\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2905870-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/78\/99\/189x106_cmsv2_7f4abb38-f308-5bf6-bcf7-58000b6052bb-9817899.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Parade-goers attend the NYC Pride March, Sunday, June 28, 2026 in New York.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Thousands take part in New York Pride parade\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2905737-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2905737\" data-cid=\"9817598\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2905737-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/71\/43\/189x106_cmsv2_b5186e74-5c9c-5465-a068-d84074c57a78-9817143.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Forensic police technicians examine a skydiving plane that crashed in Tomblaine, killing all 11 people on board, on Sunday 28 June 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Eleven killed as parachute training aircraft crashes near Nancy\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2905892-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2905892\" data-cid=\"9818030\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2905892-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/80\/30\/189x106_cmsv2_580aabd7-835d-524a-bd26-9cf0c1a16fad-9818030.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Participants at Basel\u2019s yodelling festival sing in a fountain, Switzerland, 27 June 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Swiss yodellers rehearse in public fountains as Basel swelters\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2905920-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2905920\" data-cid=\"9818157\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2905920-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/67\/61\/55\/189x106_cmsv2_8c737888-66ec-512a-a906-9326e1a1a4e2-9676155.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"An aerial view of the Gjader migrant camp at Lezh\u00eb region, Albania, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    MEPs blocked from inspecting Italy&#8217;s Albania migrant centre\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2905870-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2905870\" data-cid=\"9817899\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2905870-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/78\/99\/189x106_cmsv2_7f4abb38-f308-5bf6-bcf7-58000b6052bb-9817899.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Parade-goers attend the NYC Pride March, Sunday, June 28, 2026 in New York.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Thousands take part in New York Pride parade\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2905737-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2905737\" data-cid=\"9817598\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2905737-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/71\/43\/189x106_cmsv2_b5186e74-5c9c-5465-a068-d84074c57a78-9817143.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Forensic police technicians examine a skydiving plane that crashed in Tomblaine, killing all 11 people on board, on Sunday 28 June 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Eleven killed as parachute training aircraft crashes near Nancy\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Business<\/p>\n<p>                          Economy<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Where do workers take home the smallest share of their salaries in Europe?<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/29\/28\/1536x864_cmsv2_1015fdce-3a3a-5f19-b051-0eb7a1cb33a1-9812928.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Paris city view (file photo)\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              Paris city view (file photo)<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">Anadolu<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0Anadolu\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspServet Yanatma\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1782727992\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-06-29 12:13:12 +02:00\">29\/06\/2026 &#8211; 12:13 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span 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width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        The share of earnings taken through taxes and other deductions varies widely across Europe. But how much do workers actually keep? Euronews takes a closer look.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content c-article-content--business js-article-content\">\n<p>Personal income tax and social security systems differ significantly across Europe, and so does the overall burden on workers\u2019 pay. What matters most to workers, however, is how much of their salary they actually take home after taxes and compulsory deductions.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>To show this, Euronews Business used Eurostat data to calculate net annual earnings as a share of gross pay, producing a take-home ratio. From this, it calculated the share of gross earnings going to taxes and other deductions.<\/p>\n<p>In a few cases, the result is negative, meaning workers take home more than their gross earnings, due to family allowances and tax refunds.<\/p>\n<p>The share taken in taxes and deductions also varies depending on marital status and whether workers have dependent children. This article mainly focuses on a single person without children, although the charts also include other household types, along with a brief analysis.<\/p>\n<h2>Share of gross earnings going towards taxes and other deductions<\/h2>\n<p>According to Eurostat&#8217;s 2025 data, released in mid-2026, the share of gross earnings going towards taxes and other deductions varies widely across the continent. For a single person without children earning the average wage, it ranges from 15.1% in Cyprus to 41.5% in Romania. The EU average is 29.1%.<\/p>\n<p>For example, average annual gross earnings in the EU amount to \u20ac37,958, while net earnings are \u20ac26,929. This means \u20ac11,029 goes towards taxes and other deductions.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to Romania, six other countries see more than one-third of gross earnings go towards taxes and other deductions: Lithuania (39.1%), Belgium (37.6%), Slovenia (36.9%), Germany (34.8%), Denmark (34.0%) and Hungary (33.5%).<\/p>\n<p>The share is also above the EU average in Luxembourg (32.6%) and Croatia (31.5%).<\/p>\n<p>At the other end of the scale, Greece (17.0%) follows Cyprus, with less than one-fifth of gross earnings going towards taxes and other deductions.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Big Four economies: Germany highest, Spain lowest<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Several countries cluster in the 22% to 25% range. Czechia (21.6%), Ireland (21.6%), Portugal (21.8%), Spain (22.1%), Bulgaria (22.4%), Malta (23.1%), Estonia (23.2%), Italy (24.1%), Sweden (24.5%) and Slovakia (24.6%) all record shares below one quarter.<\/p>\n<p>Among the EU&#8217;s four largest economies, Germany has the highest share of gross earnings going towards taxes and other deductions, at 34.8%, while Spain has the lowest, at 22.1%. The figure is 26.2% in France and 24.1% in Italy.<\/p>\n<p>Broadly speaking, Southern European countries tend to have lower shares of gross earnings going towards taxes and other deductions, while higher shares are more common in Central and Eastern Europe. Western Europe is more mixed, although Belgium and Germany rank among the highest. The Nordic and Baltic countries also show considerable variation, suggesting that geography alone does not explain the differences.<\/p>\n<h2>Children matter: \u20ac16,424 difference in Germany<\/h2>\n<p>Having dependent children can significantly reduce the share of gross earnings going towards taxes and other deductions, particularly for one-earner couples. For this household type, the share ranges from -3.3% in Greece to 33.4% in Romania.<\/p>\n<p>The figure is also negative in Poland (-0.6%), meaning net earnings exceed gross earnings thanks to family allowances and tax refunds.<\/p>\n<p>The EU average falls to 8.0%, compared with 29.1% for a single person without children.<\/p>\n<p>Romania stands out at the higher end of the ranking. The second-highest share is 23.8% in Lithuania, almost 10 percentage points lower. Apart from these two countries, the share exceeds 20% only in Hungary, Slovenia, Finland and Denmark.<\/p>\n<p>Comparing a single person without children with a one-earner couple with two children, Germany stands out the most. The share of gross earnings going towards taxes and other deductions falls from 34.8% to just 0.2%\u2014a drop of 34.6 percentage points.<\/p>\n<p>Annual gross earnings are \u20ac47,514 in both cases. However, a one-earner couple with two children takes home \u20ac47,424, compared with \u20ac31,000 for a single person without children\u2014a difference of \u20ac16,424.<\/p>\n<p>For two-earner couples with two children, the share going towards taxes and other deductions is lower than for a single person without children in every EU country except Greece.<\/p>\n<p>Poland is among the countries with the largest difference, at 11.5 percentage points. In Greece, by contrast, the share of gross earnings going towards taxes and other deductions is the same in both scenarios.<\/p>\n<p>Alex Mengden, an economist at the Tax Foundation, points to differences in how European countries tax labour and argues that the overall burden matters more than personal income tax alone.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor example, Denmark\u2019s tax burden on labour lies below that of Poland, but Denmark appears at the top of the ranking because its labour taxation almost exclusively relies on personal income tax while in Poland, social contributions take out almost 2.5 times the amount of what an employer pays for an average wage worker than personal income tax does, landing it at the bottom of the ranking.\u201d he told Euronews Business.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__container\">\n<article id=\"abe-2898729-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2898729\" data-cid=\"9782440\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2898729-label-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/63\/47\/34\/480x270_cmsv2_4081cb01-e3c4-57c7-bc4c-724d0ab76479-9634734.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Annual net earnings in Europe.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Economy<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    France or Germany: Where do workers take home more pay?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2891783-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2891783\" data-cid=\"9749372\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2891783-label-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/74\/93\/72\/480x270_cmsv2_275de323-764d-532b-8b59-4bd6593eefcf-9749372.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A retired man holds a placard which reads &quot;Macron robs the money of the old men and women&quot; during a rally in Paris, France, Thursday June 14, 2018. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Business<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Who pays more tax? See where you fall in Europe\u2019s income tax divide<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2869792-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2869792\" data-cid=\"9648623\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2869792-label-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/64\/86\/23\/480x270_cmsv2_e14644c1-c558-5e15-88dc-79bf13869e7c-9648623.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE. Euro coins are photographed in Frankfurt, Germany. 17 Jan. 2012.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Economy<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Top personal income tax rates in Europe: Who pays the most in 2026?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  salaries<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  income<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Taxes<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Euronews Compare<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2905806-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2905806\" data-cid=\"9817479\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2905806-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/74\/79\/320x180_cmsv2_518ed09a-668c-5c2f-a90b-a8a50783f62d-9817479.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE. The logo for British American Tobacco appears above a trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Jul. 2017\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Lucky Strike maker BAT to axe 5,500 jobs worldwide in \u20ac695m cost drive<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2905748-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2905748\" data-cid=\"9817179\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2905748-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/71\/79\/320x180_cmsv2_2a8ab975-6373-5333-a028-79ce650c548c-9817179.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"People participate in a march to protest the opening of AI data centers in Vancouver, British Columbia, 27 June 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    The AI boom could trigger the next crash, central banks warn<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2902192-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2902192\" data-cid=\"9811292\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2902192-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/79\/94\/61\/320x180_cmsv2_97685693-5a62-5d65-b27e-71a7c38dd3de-9799461.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Cascais\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    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c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2898729-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2898729\" data-cid=\"9782440\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2898729-label-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/63\/47\/34\/480x270_cmsv2_4081cb01-e3c4-57c7-bc4c-724d0ab76479-9634734.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Annual net earnings in Europe.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Economy<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    France or Germany: Where do workers take home more pay?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2891783-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2891783\" data-cid=\"9749372\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2891783-label-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/74\/93\/72\/480x270_cmsv2_275de323-764d-532b-8b59-4bd6593eefcf-9749372.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A retired man holds a placard which reads &quot;Macron robs the money of the old men and women&quot; during a rally in Paris, France, Thursday June 14, 2018. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Business<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Who pays more tax? See where you fall in Europe\u2019s income tax divide<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2869792-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2869792\" data-cid=\"9648623\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2869792-label-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/64\/86\/23\/480x270_cmsv2_e14644c1-c558-5e15-88dc-79bf13869e7c-9648623.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE. Euro coins are photographed in Frankfurt, Germany. 17 Jan. 2012.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Economy<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Top personal income tax rates in Europe: Who pays the most in 2026?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2905806-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2905806\" data-cid=\"9817479\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2905806-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/74\/79\/320x180_cmsv2_518ed09a-668c-5c2f-a90b-a8a50783f62d-9817479.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE. 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class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Where do workers lose the biggest share of their salaries in Europe?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904812-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904812\" data-cid=\"9813023\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Ferrari&#8217;s marketing boss quits after backlash over first EV<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2900768-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2900768\" data-cid=\"9792642\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Dubai is training its private sector in agentic AI \u2013 here&#8217;s why<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__quote\">Partner content presented by <strong>Dubai Chambers<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">Personal income tax and social security systems differ significantly across Europe, and so does the overall burden on workers\u2019 pay. What matters most to workers, however, is how much of their salary they actually take home after taxes and compulsory deductions.To show this, Euronews Business used Eurostat data to calculate net annual earnings as a share of gross pay, producing a take-home ratio. From this, it calculated the share of gross earnings going to taxes and other deductions.In a few cases, the result is negative, meaning workers take home more than their gross earnings, due to family allowances and tax refunds.The share taken in taxes and deductions also varies depending on marital status and whether workers have dependent children. This article mainly focuses on a single person without children, although the charts also include other household types, along with a brief analysis.Share of gross earnings going towards taxes and other deductionsAccording to Eurostat&#8217;s 2025 data, released in mid-2026, the share of gross earnings going towards taxes and other deductions varies widely across the continent. For a single person without children earning the average wage, it ranges from 15.1% in Cyprus to 41.5% in Romania. The EU average is 29.1%.For example, average annual gross earnings in the EU amount to \u20ac37,958, while net earnings are \u20ac26,929. This means \u20ac11,029 goes towards taxes and other deductions.In addition to Romania, six other countries see more than one-third of gross earnings go towards taxes and other deductions: Lithuania (39.1%), Belgium (37.6%), Slovenia (36.9%), Germany (34.8%), Denmark (34.0%) and Hungary (33.5%).The share is also above the EU average in Luxembourg (32.6%) and Croatia (31.5%).At the other end of the scale, Greece (17.0%) follows Cyprus, with less than one-fifth of gross earnings going towards taxes and other deductions.Big Four economies: Germany highest, Spain lowestSeveral countries cluster in the 22% to 25% range. Czechia (21.6%), Ireland (21.6%), Portugal (21.8%), Spain (22.1%), Bulgaria (22.4%), Malta (23.1%), Estonia (23.2%), Italy (24.1%), Sweden (24.5%) and Slovakia (24.6%) all record shares below one quarter.Among the EU&#8217;s four largest economies, Germany has the highest share of gross earnings going towards taxes and other deductions, at 34.8%, while Spain has the lowest, at 22.1%. The figure is 26.2% in France and 24.1% in Italy.Broadly speaking, Southern European countries tend to have lower shares of gross earnings going towards taxes and other deductions, while higher shares are more common in Central and Eastern Europe. Western Europe is more mixed, although Belgium and Germany rank among the highest. The Nordic and Baltic countries also show considerable variation, suggesting that geography alone does not explain the differences.Children matter: \u20ac16,424 difference in GermanyHaving dependent children can significantly reduce the share of gross earnings going towards taxes and other deductions, particularly for one-earner couples. For this household type, the share ranges from -3.3% in Greece to 33.4% in Romania.The figure is also negative in Poland (-0.6%), meaning net earnings exceed gross earnings thanks to family allowances and tax refunds.The EU average falls to 8.0%, compared with 29.1% for a single person without children.Romania stands out at the higher end of the ranking. The second-highest share is 23.8% in Lithuania, almost 10 percentage points lower. Apart from these two countries, the share exceeds 20% only in Hungary, Slovenia, Finland and Denmark.Comparing a single person without children with a one-earner couple with two children, Germany stands out the most. The share of gross earnings going towards taxes and other deductions falls from 34.8% to just 0.2%\u2014a drop of 34.6 percentage points.Annual gross earnings are \u20ac47,514 in both cases. However, a one-earner couple with two children takes home \u20ac47,424, compared with \u20ac31,000 for a single person without children\u2014a difference of \u20ac16,424.For two-earner couples with two children, the share going towards taxes and other deductions is lower than for a single person without children in every EU country except Greece.Poland is among the countries with the largest difference, at 11.5 percentage points. In Greece, by contrast, the share of gross earnings going towards taxes and other deductions is the same in both scenarios.Alex Mengden, an economist at the Tax Foundation, points to differences in how European countries tax labour and argues that the overall burden matters more than personal income tax alone.\u201cFor example, Denmark\u2019s tax burden on labour lies below that of Poland, but Denmark appears at the top of the ranking because its labour taxation almost exclusively relies on personal income tax while in Poland, social contributions take out almost 2.5 times the amount of what an employer pays for an average wage worker than personal income tax does, landing it at the bottom of the ranking.\u201d he told Euronews Business.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/2026\/06\/29\/where-do-workers-take-home-the-smallest-share-of-their-salaries-in-europe&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/81\/29\/28\/1200x675_cmsv2_1015fdce-3a3a-5f19-b051-0eb7a1cb33a1-9812928.jpg&#8221;] No Comment Swiss yodellers rehearse in public fountains as Basel swelters Europe News MEPs blocked from inspecting Italy&#8217;s Albania migrant centre No Comment Thousands take part in New York Pride parade Europe News Eleven killed as parachute training aircraft crashes near Nancy No Comment Swiss yodellers rehearse in public fountains as Basel [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-2018035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2018035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2018035"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2018035\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2018035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2018035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2018035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}