The FINANCIAL — The euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 9.3% in April 2017, down from 9.4% in March 2017 and down from 10.2% in April 2016.
This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since March 2009. The EU28 unemployment rate was 7.8% in April 2017, down from 7.9% in March 2017 and from 8.7% in April 2016. This is the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since December 2008. These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
Eurostat estimates that 19.121 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 15.040 million in the euro area, were unemployed in April 2017. Compared with March 2017, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 253 000 in the EU28 and by 233 000 in the euro area. Compared with April 2016, unemployment fell by 2.225 million in the EU28 and by 1.529 million in the euro area.
Member States
Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates in April 2017 were recorded in the Czech Republic (3.2%), Germany (3.9%) and Malta (4.1%). The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (23.2% in February 2017) and Spain (17.8%).
Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in April 2017 fell in twenty-seven Member States and remained stable in Finland. The largest decreases were registered in Croatia (from 13.7% to 11.0%), Spain (from 20.4% to 17.8%) and Ireland (from 8.4% to 6.4%).
In April 2017, the unemployment rate in the United States was 4.4%, down from 4.5% in March 2017 and from 5.0% in April 2016.
Youth unemployment
In April 2017, 3.746 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 2.617 million were in the euro area. Compared with April 2016, youth unemployment decreased by 600 000 in the EU28 and by 419 000 in the euro area. In April 2017, the youth unemployment rate was 16.7% in the EU28 and 18.7% in the euro area, compared with 19.0% and 21.4% respectively in April 2016. In April 2017, the lowest rate was observed in Germany (6.8%), while the highest were recorded in Greece (47.9% in February 2017), Spain (39.3%) and Italy (34.0%).
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