Which EU country has the most generous annual leave?

France, when you factor in RTT days. A French worker on a 39-hour contract can have 35-45 days off per year. Luxembourg (26 statutory days) and Austria (25-30 days) are close behind.

Do public holidays count toward my annual leave?

No. Public holidays and annual leave are separate entitlements. If a public holiday falls during your vacation, you get that day back (in most countries).

Can my employer force me to take leave at specific times?

It depends on the country. Most allow employers to set blackout periods or require notice. But many countries — especially Sweden and the Nordics — protect workers' right to take summer leave.

Holiday and Annual Leave Rights Across the EU 2026

You know what nobody talks about enough when comparing EU countries? Holiday time. Seriously — the difference between 20 days off per year and 45+ days (looking at you, France) can completely change your quality of life. And yet most people accept whatever their contract says without realizing they might be getting shortchanged.

The EU Minimum — 4 Weeks. Period.

The Working Time Directive (2003/88/EC) guarantees every worker in the EU at least 4 weeks of paid leave per year. That's 20 working days on a 5-day week. Non-negotiable. Here's what you should know:

It cannot be replaced by a payout (except when you leave the company)
It can't be reduced during your first year — though some employers use accrual systems
If you were sick and couldn't take your leave, it carries over. The European Court of Justice has been very clear about this
Part-time and fixed-term workers get the same proportional entitlement

But here's the thing — 20 days is just the floor. Most EU countries go well beyond it.

Country by Country — Where the Real Differences Are

The Generous Ones: 25+ Days

Austria — 25 days (30 after 25 years of service) Austria gives you 25 days from day one, plus 13 public holidays. Stay for 25 years and you get 30 days. That's 43 days off. Per year.

Luxembourg — 26 days One of the highest statutory entitlements in the EU. Add 11 public holidays and you're looking at 37 days off. No wonder everyone wants to work here.

France — 25 days (but wait, there's more) This is where it gets interesting. France's standard 25 days are often supplemented by RTT days (Réduction du Temps de Travail). If you work 39 hours instead of the legal 35, you can get 10-20 extra days off. Some French workers genuinely have 35-45 days off per year. It sounds too good to be true, but it's not.

Sweden — 25 days Guaranteed from your first year. Many collective agreements bump this to 28-30 days. And here's a detail most people miss: Swedish law requires employers to grant at least 4 consecutive weeks during June-August. Summer holidays are practically sacred.

Denmark — 25 days Denmark runs on a September-August holiday year (yes, it's different). You accrue 2.08 days per month. Many workers get an additional 5 "feriefridage" through collective agreements, bringing the total to 30 days.

The Middle Ground: 20-24 Days

Germany — 20 minimum, 28 typical The legal minimum is only 20 days, which always surprises people given how well Germany treats its workers otherwise. But in practice, almost nobody gets just 20. Collective agreements typically provide 24-30 days. The average is about 28.

Netherlands — 20 minimum, 25-27 typical Similar story. The legal minimum is modest, but collective agreements are generous. Plus, Dutch workers get the vakantiegeld — a mandatory 8% holiday allowance paid out in May. It's basically an extra month's pay earmarked for vacations.

Spain — 22 days (30 calendar days) Spanish law specifies 30 calendar days, which works out to about 22 working days. Add 14 public holidays and it's a solid package. Many collective agreements sweeten the deal further.

Portugal — 22 days Portugal gives you 22 working days plus 13 public holidays. But here's the best part: workers get a subsídio de férias — literally a holiday bonus equal to one month's salary. Getting paid extra to go on vacation? Yes please.

Italy — 20 minimum, 26-32 typical The law says 4 weeks, but national collective agreements (CCNL) typically provide 26-32 days depending on your sector and seniority.

Belgium — 20 days Straightforward — 20 days plus 10 public holidays. But Belgium has double holiday pay (double pécule de vacances), which means you get essentially an extra month's salary for your vacation.

Ireland — 20 days Four working weeks plus 9 public holidays. Clean and simple.

The Ones That Reward Loyalty

Poland — 20 or 26 days Under 10 years of experience? 20 days. Over 10? 26 days. And here's the clever bit: university education counts as 8 years toward that total.

Hungary — 20 days, increasing with age You start at 20, then get an extra day for each year of age starting from 25, up to a maximum of 30. Parents get additional days per child. It's an unusual system but it rewards age and family.

Czech Republic — 20 days (25 in government) The legal minimum is 4 weeks. Government employees get 5. Many private companies now offer 25 days to compete for talent.

Romania — 20 days minimum The baseline, with collective agreements often pushing it to 21-25 days.

The Big Picture

Country	Annual Leave	Public Holidays	Total Days Off
Luxembourg	26	11	37
Austria	25	13	38
France	25 (+RTT)	11	36+
Sweden	25	13	38
Denmark	25	11	36
Germany	28 (avg)	9-13	37-41
Spain	22	14	36
Portugal	22	13	35
Netherlands	25 (avg)	8	33
Italy	26 (avg)	12	38
Belgium	20	10	30
Poland	26	13	39

Look at that spread. The difference between Belgium (30 total days off) and Poland (39) is almost two extra weeks.

Beyond Annual Leave — Other Time Off

Sick Leave

This varies wildly and honestly deserves its own article (which we have — check the sick leave calculator):

Luxembourg: Full pay for 77 days, then social security takes over
Germany: Full pay for 6 weeks from your employer, then 70% from health insurance
Netherlands: 70-100% pay for up to 2 years — not a typo
France: 50% from Day 4 (3-day waiting period)

Marriage Leave

Some of these will surprise you:

Luxembourg: 6 days
Spain: 15 calendar days (!!)
France: 4 days
Germany: 1 day (yep, just one — though collective agreements usually add more)

Moving House

Luxembourg: 2 days
Belgium: 1 day
Most countries: Not a statutory right at all

Part-Time Workers — You're Not Forgotten

The EU Part-Time Work Directive ensures part-timers get leave proportional to their hours. Working 80%? You get 80% of the leave entitlement. Simple and fair.

Carry-Over Rules — Know Your Rights

The European Court of Justice has made some powerful rulings on this:

Employers must actively encourage you to take your leave — they can't just let it expire
Leave you couldn't take because of illness must carry over for at least 15 months
You can't lose leave rights without being given a genuine chance to use them

Calculate your leave entitlements → Leave Calculator | Country Comparator