Bulgaria Among EU Countries with Longest Working Week in 2025
Jerusalem, 27 May, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- Luxembourg (BTA) – Bulgaria remained among the European Union countries with the longest working week in 2025, although the average number of hours worked fell below 39 hours per week for the first time, according to the latest data released by Eurostat on Wednesday.
People aged between 20 and 64 employed full-time and part-time in Bulgaria worked an average of 38.7 hours per week in 2025, compared with 39 hours in 2024.
According to Eurostat’s database, this is the first time the indicator for Bulgaria has dropped below the threshold of 39 hours per week since records for the country began after 2000.
For comparison, at the beginning of the century employed people in Bulgaria worked an average of 40.7 hours per week, while in 2007, when the country joined the EU, the figure stood at 41.2 hours.
Despite the decline, Bulgaria remains among the countries with the longest working week in the EU. Only Greece recorded a higher average, with 39.6 hours worked per week. Bulgaria shares second place with Poland, where employees also worked an average of 38.7 hours weekly.
In 2024, Greece also recorded the longest working week in the EU with 39.8 hours, followed by Bulgaria with 39 hours and Poland with 38.9 hours.
The shortest working weeks in 2025 were recorded in the Netherlands with 31.9 hours, Denmark and Germany with 33.9 hours each, and Austria with 34 hours.
The average working week across the European Union stood at 35.9 hours in 2025, compared with 36 hours in 2024.
Over the 2015-2025 period, the average working week in the EU decreased by one hour, from 36.9 hours to 35.9 hours.
During the same period, the decline in Bulgaria was more pronounced, from 40.2 hours to 38.7 hours.
Eurostat noted that the indicator includes both full-time and part-time workers, as well as overtime related to the main job of the employed person, regardless of whether it is paid. The data do not include absences from work, leave, sick leave or commuting time.
