In 2014, around 145,000 companies, or almost a tenth (9.2%) of all active enterprises with at least ten employees in the business economy in the European Union (EU) were recognized as high-growth enterprises, providing work for over 12 million employees. These firms have been distinguished using the following criteria: average annualised growth in number of employees greater than 10% per year over a three-year period and at least 10 employees at the beginning of the growth. High-growth enterprises play an important role in contributing to economic growth and the creation of jobs.