Bruxelles – The euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 9.5% in February 2017, down from 9.6% in January 2017 and from 10.3% in February 2016. This remains the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since May 2009. The EU28 unemployment rate was 8.0% in February 2017, down from 8.1% in January 2017 and from 8.9% in February 2016. This remains the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since January 2009. These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
Eurostat estimates that 19.750 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 15.439 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in February 2017. Compared with January 2017, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 153 000 in the EU28 and by 140 000 in the euro area. Compared with February 2016, unemployment fell by 1.852 million in the EU28 and by 1.246 million in the euro area.
Youth unemployment
In February 2017, 3.905 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 2.722 million were in the euro area. Compared with February 2016, youth unemployment decreased by 475 000 in the EU28 and by 309 000 in the euro area. In February 2017, the youth unemployment rate was 17.3% in the EU28 and 19.4% in the euro area, compared with 19.3% and 21.6% respectively in February 2016. In February 2017, the lowest rate was observed in Germany (6.6%), while the highest were recorded in Greece (45.2% in December 2016), Spain (41.5%) and Italy (35.2%).
