The share of jobs supported by extra-European exports continues to increase in the European Union.
This is revealed by two studies on the impact of European exports on employment and income in the EU, carried out by the European Commission and published on Tuesday 27 November.
“The link between trade and employment is of paramount importance in the current political environment”, the authors say. They were able to demonstrate that 15% of jobs were supported, directly or indirectly, by European exports abroad. Totalling 36 million jobs across the European Union in 2017, these figures have increased by 10.1% since 2000 (see EUROPE 11327).
The employment study also highlights the positive externalities of exports, including the fact that "when EU exporters located in one Member State perform well, businesses in other Member States also benefit in terms of value added and employment as they supply goods and services across borders along the supply chain".
With more than half of the jobs supported by extra-European exports, the manufacturing sector continues to be the main beneficiary. Employment in services, which is increasing, is right behind, particularly in transport, trade and business services.
As for the qualification levels of these jobs, the share of highly skilled workers is increasing, from 23% in 2008 to 28% in 2014. In 2017, the EU therefore had almost 10 million highly skilled workers linked to extra-EU exports, with Ireland leading the trend with 50% of highly skilled workers, followed by Luxembourg at 43% and Spain at 40%. The percentage of low-skilled workers has decreased from 25% in 2008 to 21% in 2014.
Lastly, jobs related to extra-European exports are also, on average, paid 12 percentage points more than others. The export wage premium varies from 10% to 18%, depending on the skill level and professional profile of the employees.
The text adds that "the analysis [...] also accounts for the fact that extra-EU imports support jobs in our trading partners as part of worldwide global value chains".
To consult the studies: https://bit.ly/2RhvJfB (employment) and https://bit.ly/2TPeQKV (income). (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)