The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in the euro area, which includes 19 European Union member states, was 8.3% in June 2018, stable compared with May 2018 and down from 9% in June 2017.
According to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, this remains the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since December 2008.
The euro area includes Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland.
Eurostat data also show that in all 28 EU member states’ combined, the unemployment rate was 6.9% in June 2018, also stable compared with May 2018 and down from 7.6% in June 2017. This is the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since May 2008.
Eurostat also estimates that 17.105 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 13.570 million in the euro area, were unemployed in June 2018. Compared with May 2018, the number of persons unemployed increased by 4,000 in the EU28 and by 14,000 in the euro area. Compared with June 2017, unemployment fell by 1.657 million in the EU28 and by 1.146 million in the euro area.
Among the EU member states, Eurostat’s data show the lowest unemployment rates in June 2018 were recorded in the Czech Republic (2.4%) and Germany (3.4%). The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (20.2% in April 2018) and Spain (15.2%).
As for youth (ages 15-24) unemployment, 3.415 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, in June 2018. Of them, 2.412 million were in the euro area. Compared with June 2017, youth unemployment decreased by 386,000 in the EU28 and by 266,000 in the euro area.
