Nearly 70% of employed persons in EU worked in service sector

Almost 70% of employed persons in the 27-member European Union worked within the service sector in 2011, according to data released by Eurostat, the EU's statistical office Friday. Market services, such as trade, transportation, financial activities etc. accounted for 39% of persons employed in 2011, while mainly non-market services, such as public administration, education, health etc. accounted for 30%. The industry and construction sector accounted for 25% and agriculture for 5%. There is a considerable difference between EU member states when comparing employment by sector, said Eurostat. For agriculture, the share varied from less than 2% of persons employed in Malta, Luxembourg, theUK , Belgium and Germany to 29% in Romania, 13% in Poland and 12% in Greece. For industry, the proportions ranged from 13% in Luxembourg and 17% in the Netherlands to 38% in the Czech Republic and 37% in Slovakia. In the market services sector, the shares varied from 26% in Romania and 34% in Poland to 45% in Ireland and Cyprus. For mainly non-market services, the proportions ranged from 16% in Romania and 22% in Bulgaria to 42% in Luxembourg and 38% in Denmark and the Netherlands.