Euro area unemployment at 7.4%

30 September 2019

The euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 7.4% in August 2019, down from 7.5% in July 2019 and from 8.0% in August 2018. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since May 2008.

The EU28 unemployment rate was 6.2% in August 2019, down from 6.3% in July 2019 and from 6.7% in August 2018. This is the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since the start of the EU monthly unemployment series in January 2000. These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

Eurostat estimates that 15.432 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 12.169 million in the euro area, were unemployed in August 2019. Compared with July 2019, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 111 000 in the EU28 and by 115 000 in the euro area. Compared with August 2018, unemployment fell by 1.189 million in the EU28 and by 960 000 in the euro area. 

Member States

Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates in August 2019 were recorded in Czechia (2.0%) and Germany (3.1%). The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (17.0% in June 2019) and Spain (13.8%). 

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