"Economic inactivity rates are found to exhibit a wide variation from 20 per cent in Sweden to 32 per cent in Poland, compared with 21 per cent in the UK. Education and training and personal or family responsibilities are the two most common reasons given for economic inactivity.This is the fourth in a series of articles on economic inactivity. It presents trends in economic inactivity in 6 other countries broadly similar to the UK. Along with the UK, analysis of five other European countries; Sweden, Netherlands, France, Spain, Poland; and the United States are discussed using Labour Force Survey data from Eurostat and the Current Population Survey of the USA. Economic inactivity rates are presented by sex since 1992 (where possible), age group, and reason for each of the seven countries.Direct comparisons between countries was found to be problematic as many disparate factors such as economic climate, social/cultural norms, legislation, benefits systems, demography and education participation influence economic inactivity rates in any given country. Given this, the article presents each country independently and summarises the labour market histories for each. A further two articles on economic inactivity are planned this year, one focussing on students and another tying the topic into life stages."

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