 Enterprise sizes
In EU 15, enterprises employ seven people on average. Nine out of ten enterprises count fewer than ten persons; they represent 40% of EU 15 employees. Only 39,000 enterprises employ more than 250 people, but they represent 30% of employees.
 Enterprises are classified as:
• micro with up to 9 employees
• small with 10 to 49 employees
• medium with 50 to 249 employees
• large with 249 employees and more. Did you know? • In EU 15, approximately half of micro enterprises have no employee.
• From 1988 to 2003, employment grew more in micro and small enterprises than in larger ones. | • In the US, enterprises with fewer than 50 employees represent 99% of the 21 million enterprises but only 37% of employees. | | indicators % of enterprises by size
  % of employees by enterprise size
 Number of enterprises and average size
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