Nearly 95% of children across the European Union aged three and above who have not yet reached the starting age for compulsory primary education were enrolled in early childhood education in 2024, according to
new figures published by Eurostat.
The EU-wide participation rate stood at 94.4%, bringing the bloc closer to its target of ensuring that 96% of children in this age group participate in early childhood education by 2030.
However, the figures reveal significant differences between regions, with some already achieving universal participation while others continue to lag behind.
Half of EU regions have reached the 2030 target
Of the 198 NUTS 2 regions for which data were available, 99 had achieved or exceeded the EU's 96% participation benchmark in 2024.
These regions were concentrated mainly in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Spain, France, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Portugal and Sweden. In each of these countries, more than half of the regions with available data had reached the target. Luxembourg also met the 96% benchmark.
The results indicate that many parts of Europe are already meeting the EU's long-term ambitions for early childhood education, although progress remains uneven across the bloc.
Twenty regions report virtually universal participation
In 20 EU regions, participation in early childhood education was effectively universal among children aged three to the start of compulsory primary schooling.
France accounted for nine of these regions, while neighbouring Belgium contributed another five.
Five capital regions recorded a participation rate of 100%: Brussels-Capital Region in Belgium, Île-de-France in France, the City of Zagreb in Croatia, Budapest in Hungary and the Warsaw Capital Region in Poland.
Full participation was also reported in Portugal's Centro region and in Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany, with the latter two figures reported at NUTS 1 level.
These results highlight the strong performance of several major urban centres, alongside regions elsewhere in Europe that have achieved complete participation in early childhood education.
Seventeen regions remain below 85%
Despite the generally high EU-wide figure, 17 of the 198 regions with available data recorded participation rates below 85%.
Most of these areas were located in eastern EU member states. All eight Romanian regions fell into this category, as did two regions each in Czechia and Slovakia.
The group also included France's overseas department of Mayotte and the island of Corsica, as well as one region each in Croatia, Austria and Portugal.
The disparities underline the continuing challenge of ensuring equal access to early childhood education across Europe. While the EU average is approaching its 2030 objective, the lowest-performing regions face a considerably larger gap to close.
Regional data offer insight into Europe's education systems
Eurostat's figures provide a regional perspective on access to early childhood education and help identify where progress towards the EU's education objectives is strongest and where further improvements may be needed.
The data are available through Eurostat's interactive map showing participation rates by NUTS 2 region for 2024.
Further information can be found in the Eurostat Regional Yearbook – 2026 edition and the interactive publication Regions in Europe, which examine education and training across the EU.
Source: Eurostat, Participation in early childhood education, 2024. Photo by Lucélia Ribeiro, Wikimedia commons.
