The unemployment rate in the Eurozone fell to 10,3% in February, from 11,2% in February 2015 and 10,4% last January. The latest data recorded is the lowest recorded since August 2011. In the EU the was stable at 8,9%, down from 9,7% a year earlier. This is the lowest rate for the Union since May 2009. These are the estimates published today by Eurostat.
In Italy, the unemployment rate stood at 11,7% in February, up from 11,6% in January, but still down on the 12,2% in February 2016. According to Eurostat, in February there were 21,651 million unemployed in the EU of which 16,634 in the euro area. Compared to January, the number of unemployed fell by 59 in the EU and by 39 in the euro area. Compared to a year earlier, the number of unemployed fell by 1,971 million in the EU and by 1,303 million in the euro area.
Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rate was recorded in Germany (4,3%) and the Czech Republic (4,5%). Highest rates in Greece (24% in December) and Spain (20,4%). Compared to February 2015, the unemployment rate decreased in 24 countries, remained stable in Belgium and increased in Austria (from 5,4% to 6%), Latvia (from 9,7% to 10,1%) and Finland (from 9,1% to 9,2%). More marked reductions in Cyprus (from 16,6% to 12,6%), Spain (from 23,2% to 20,4%) and Bulgaria (from 9,8% to 7,4%).
In February, the unemployment rate in the US was 4,9%, stable on a monthly basis and down on the previous year (5,5%). As for youth unemployment, in February there were 4,381 million jobless in the EU, of which 3,011 million in the euro area. Compared to a year earlier, the unemployed under the age of 25 fell by 428 in the EU and by 219 in the euro area.
The unemployment rate was 19,4% in the EU 3 and 21,6% in the euro area compared to 20,9% and 22,7% in February 2015. Lowest rates in Germany (6,9%), Czech Republic (10.%), Denmark (10,5%) and Malta (10,8%): highest rates in Greece (48,9% in December 2015), Spain (45,3%), Croatia (40,3 % in the fourth quarter of 2015) and Italy (39,1%).
