Following the quantification of the inactive population and the different groups form part of it in the twelve countries of the European Communities before they became the European Union and the incorporation of Austria, Finland and Sweden, this study quantifies the spending dedicated to the social protection of each and every one of the sectors of the inactive population in these countries from 1981 to 1991. The study constitutes a contribution to the research Pensiones y prestaciones por desempleo (Pensions and Unemployment Benefits) (Fundación BBV, page 66).