European corporate bankruptcies hit highest level in second quarter of 2026

Pars Today – The latest statistical data show that business bankruptcies in the European Union rose by 5.7 percent in the second quarter of 2026, reaching their highest level since 2019.

According to Pars Today, citing IRNA, Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, reported that business bankruptcies across the bloc increased by 5.7 percent in the second quarter of this year compared with the first quarter, while new business registrations declined by 0.5 percent.

According to the Eurostat report, bankruptcies in the second quarter of 2026 reached their highest level since the first quarter of 2019. The indicator had temporarily declined at the end of 2025 and in the first quarter of 2026, but resumed its upward trend, indicating that some European companies continue to face serious challenges related to financing, operating costs and declining competitiveness.

The situation in the euro area was more concerning than the EU-wide average. According to Eurostat data, new business registrations in euro-area countries fell by 0.1 percent in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the previous quarter, while bankruptcy declarations increased by 6.9 percent over the same period.

Eurostat also reported that in the first quarter of 2026, business registrations declined by 0.9 percent across the European Union and by 1.3 percent in the euro area.