The data published by Eurostat shows that in 2011 there were in total 257 million women and 245 million men in the EU. Additionally, in 2010, there were 62 million women (24.5% of all women) and 54 million men (22.3% of all men) in the EU at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Besides, differences in employment rates between women and men reduce as the education level rises.

Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union has published, on the occasion of the International Women’s Day on 8 March 2012, a News Release which contains a dedicated section on the topic of gender equality. Among the figures published, in 2011 there were 105 women per 100 men and, the ratio rose to 138 women per 100 men on average in the EU for those aged 65 and over. In addition, the proportion of women at risk of poverty or social exclusion was higher than for men in all Member States. The largest differences between women and men were recorded in Italy, Austria, and Slovenia, and the smallest in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Hungary.

Other figures show that the employment rate for women aged 25 to 64 was 63.8% in the EU in 2010, while it was 77.5% for men. On the European Equal Pay Day, the Commission published a report which showed that women across the EU continue to earn an average of 16.4% less than men. This difference diminishes as the education level increases in all Member States. For those with a low education level (at the most lower secondary education), the employment rate at EU27 level was 43.3% for women and 65.2% for men. The employment rate for persons with a medium education level (at the most upper secondary education) was 66.6% for women and 79.1% for men. For those with a high education level (tertiary education), the rate was 80.6% for women and 87.4% for men.

With regard to the Internet purchases of clothes, they are more common among female e-shoppers, and electronic equipment among males, while for booking travel and holidays there was no difference between women and men (both 52%). The purchase of goods and services over the internet is an increasing phenomenon.