The largest percentages have been reported in France (33.8 percent), Denmark (33.8 percent), the Netherlands (32.1 percent). On the other side, Romania (17.6 percent), Latvia (17.8 percent), Bulgaria and Estonia (both with 18.1 percent of the GDP).
Expressed in PPS parity (purchasing power standard), the expenses per capita on welfare in 2010 were the largest in Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Denmark, over 40 percent of the GDP, compared to the EU average. Bulgaria and Romania are bottom with less than 30 percent of the GDP.
On categories, the benefits allocated to elderly people accounted for 45 percent of the total social expenses made in 2010 in the EU, followed by health expenses and disabled expenses, 37 percent of the total amount. Last come the social benefits for homes and social exclusion (3.6 percent) and the unemployment aid (6 percent). Romania ranks above the EU average for the aid granted to elderly (50.7 percent of the total amount), and to aid granted to families and children (9.6 percent of the total amount).
