Social protection in 2016 – Share of EU GDP spent on social protection slightly down – Highest ratios in France, Finland and Denmark
Social protection expenditure in the European Union (EU)stood at28.2% of GDP in 2016, slightly down compared with 28.4% in 2015, according to data from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In 2016, the two main sources of funding of social protection at EU level were social contributions, making up 55% of total receipts, and general government contributions from taxes at 40%.