170/2018 - 31 October 2018

September 2018
Euro area unemployment at 8.1%
EU28 at 6.7%
The euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 8.1% in September 2018, stable compared
with August 2018 and down from 8.9% in September 2017. This remains the lowest rate recorded in the euro area
since November 2008. The EU28 unemployment rate was 6.7% in September 2018, stable compared with August
2018 and down from 7.5% in September 2017. 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 16.574 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 13.153 million in the euro area, were
unemployed in September 2018. Compared with August 2018, the number of persons unemployed decreased by
35 000 in the EU28 and increased by 2 000 in the euro area. Compared with September 2017, unemployment fell
by 1.793 million in the EU28 and by 1.309 million in the euro area.

Member States
Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates in September 2018 were recorded in Czechia (2.3%),
Germany and Poland (both 3.4%). The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (19.0% in July
2018) and Spain (14.9%).
Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate fell in 27 Member States and remained stable in Estonia. The
largest decreases were registered in Cyprus (from 10.2% to 7.4%), Croatia (from 10.5% to 8.2%), Greece (from
20.9% to 19.0% between July 2017 and July 2018), Portugal (from 8.5% to 6.6%) and Spain (from 16.7% to
14.9%).
In September 2018, the unemployment rate in the United States was 3.7%, down from 3.9% in August 2018 and
from 4.2% in September 2017.

Unemployment rates in September 2018, seasonally adjusted

25

20 19.0

14.9
15

10.1
% 10 9.3
8.1 8.2
7.2 7.3 7.4
6.2 6.3 6.5 6.6 6.6 6.7
4.8 4.9 5.0 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.4
5 3.7 3.8 3.8 4.0 4.1
3.4 3.4
2.3

0
Cyprus
Austria

Croatia
Denmark
Malta

Ireland

Slovakia
Netherlands

Luxembourg

Belgium
Romania

Lithuania
Czechia

Bulgaria

EU28

EA19
Latvia

Italy
UK*

Sweden

Spain
Portugal

Greece*
Estonia**
Hungary**
Germany

Finland
Slovenia

France
Poland

* July 2018 ** August 2018

Youth unemployment
In September 2018, 3.333 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 2.403 million
were in the euro area. Compared with September 2017, youth unemployment decreased by 385 000 in the EU28
and by 212 000 in the euro area. In September 2018, the youth unemployment rate was 14.9% in the EU28 and
16.8% in the euro area, compared with 16.5% and 18.3% respectively in September 2017. In September 2018, the
lowest rates were observed in Czechia and Germany (both 6.3%) as well as the Netherlands (7.5%), while the
highest were recorded in Greece (37.9% in July 2018), Spain (34.3%) and Italy (31.6%).

Geographical information
The euro area (EA19) includes Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland.
The European Union (EU28) includes Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain,
France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Methods and definitions
Eurostat produces harmonised unemployment rates for individual EU Member States, the euro area and the EU. These
unemployment rates are based on the definition recommended by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The
measurement is based on a harmonised source, the European Union Labour Force Survey (LFS).
Based on the ILO definition, Eurostat defines unemployed persons as persons aged 15 to 74 who:
- are without work;
- are available to start work within the next two weeks;
- and have actively sought employment at some time during the previous four weeks.
The unemployment rate is the number of people unemployed as a percentage of the labour force.
The labour force is the total number of people employed plus unemployed. In this news release unemployment rates are based
on employment and unemployment data covering persons aged 15 to 74.
The youth unemployment rate is the number of people aged 15 to 24 unemployed as a percentage of the labour force of the
same age. Therefore, the youth unemployment rate should not be interpreted as the share of jobless people in the overall youth
population.
When data for the most recent month are not available for a Member State, EU and EA aggregates are calculated using the
latest data available for that Member State.
Country notes
Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Sweden and Iceland: the trend component is used instead of the more volatile
seasonally adjusted data.
Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Norway: 3-month moving averages of LFS data are used
instead of pure monthly indicators.
Revisions and timetable
The data in this News Release can be subject to revisions, caused by updates to the seasonally adjusted series whenever new
monthly data are added; the inclusion of the most recent LFS data in the calculation process; update of seasonal adjustment
models with complete annual data.
Compared with the rates published in News Release 150/2018 of 1 October 2018, the August 2018 unemployment rate for
EA19 has remained unchanged while the unemployment rate for EU28 has has been revised downwards from 6.8% to 6.7%.
Among Member States, the rate has been revised by more than 0.1 percentage points (pp) downwards for Czechia, Spain and
Finland (all by 0.2 pp).

For more information

Eurostat website section on employment and unemployment
Eurostat database section on unemployment, including non-seasonally adjusted and trend data
Eurostat Statistics Explained article on unemployment
Eurostat Statistics Explained article on youth unemployment
Eurostat metadata on adjusted unemployment series
Eurostat €-indicators release calendar

Issued by: Eurostat Press Office For further information on data:

Romina BRONDINO Boyan GENEV
Tel: +352-4301-33 444 Tel: +352-4301-36 409
[email protected]
Thibaut HENRION
Tel: +352-4301-31 686
ec.europa.eu/eurostat/ [email protected]

EurostatStatistics @EU_Eurostat
Media requests: Eurostat media support / Tel: +352-4301-33 408 / [email protected]
 Euro area and EU28 unemployment rates
Seasonally adjusted series
Euro area (EA19) EU28

12

11

10

I II IIIIV I II IIIIV I II IIIIV I II IIIIV I II IIIIV I II IIIIV I II IIIIV I II IIIIV I II IIIIV I II IIIIV I II IIIIV I II IIIIV I II IIIIV I II IIIIV I II IIIIV I II IIIIV I II IIIIV I II IIIIV I II III
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
 Seasonally adjusted unemployment, totals
Rates (%) Number of persons (in thousands)
Sep 17 Jun 18 Jul 18 Aug 18 Sep 18 Sep 17 Jun 18 Jul 18 Aug 18 Sep 18
EA19 8.9 8.2 8.1 8.1 8.1 14 462 13 401 13 270 13 151 13 153
EU28 7.5 6.8 6.8 6.7 6.7 18 367 16 855 16 741 16 609 16 574
Belgium 6.9 6.4 6.6 6.5 6.3 343 321 331 327 319
Bulgaria 6.0 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 202 176 175 174 174
Czechia 2.6 2.4 2.3 2.3 2.3 142 128 123 125 122
Denmark 5.6 4.9 5.0 4.8 4.8 168 149 150 144 145
Germany 3.7 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.4 1 588 1 474 1 467 1 459 1 451
Estonia 5.4** 5.0 5.3 5.4 : 38** 35 37 38 :
Ireland 6.6 5.8 5.8 5.6 5.4 156 139 139 134 129
Greece 20.9* 19.1 19.0 : : 1 002* 911 898 : :
Spain 16.7 15.2 15.0 15.0 14.9 3 794 3 460 3 424 3 412 3 386
France 9.4 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.3 2 775 2 705 2 740 2 763 2 761
Croatia 10.5 8.8 8.6 8.4 8.2 192 159 156 152 147
Italy 11.2 10.6 10.2 9.8 10.1 2 901 2 769 2 648 2 532 2 613
Cyprus 10.2 7.9 7.6 7.5 7.4 44 34 33 33 32
Latvia 8.4 7.7 7.6 7.4 7.2 83 76 74 72 70
Lithuania 6.9 5.8 6.3 6.2 6.2 100 84 91 90 90
Luxembourg 5.5 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.0 16 15 15 15 15
Hungary 4.1** 3.7 3.7 3.8 : 189** 170 174 178 :
Malta 4.2 3.8 3.9 3.8 3.8 10 9 10 9 9
Netherlands 4.7 3.9 3.8 3.9 3.7 422 354 348 353 343
Austria 5.4 4.8 4.9 4.9 4.9 241 215 222 220 223
Poland 4.7 3.7 3.5 3.5 3.4 803 624 606 590 577
Portugal 8.5 6.8 6.8 6.9 6.6 441 352 350 359 340
Romania 4.8 4.2 4.2 4.3 4.1 440 377 386 386 370
Slovenia 6.4 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.2 66 55 55 55 54
Slovakia 7.8 6.8 6.7 6.6 6.6 215 185 182 181 180
Finland 8.4 7.6 7.5 7.4 7.3 229 208 206 203 201
Sweden 6.6 6.3 6.4 6.4 6.5 356 345 348 351 354
United Kingdom 4.3* 4.0 4.0 : : 1 423* 1 327 1 350 : :
Iceland 3.0 2.8 2.7 2.7 2.6 6 6 6 5 5
Norway 4.1** 3.8 4.0 4.0 : 113** 108 113 113 :
United States 4.2 4.0 3.9 3.9 3.7 6 790 6 532 6 283 6 208 5 990
The source datasets are available here (rates) and here (in 1000 persons).
: Data not available * July 2017 ** August 2017
 Seasonally adjusted youth (under 25s) unemployment
Rates (%) Number of persons (in thousands)
Sep 17 Jun 18 Jul 18 Aug 18 Sep 18 Sep 17 Jun 18 Jul 18 Aug 18 Sep 18
EA19 18.3 16.9 16.8 16.8 16.8 2 615 2 410 2 383 2 390 2 403
EU28 16.5 15.1 14.9 14.9 14.9 3 718 3 381 3 337 3 335 3 333
Belgium 18.3 19.1 18.9 18.9 18.9 70 72 75 75 75
Bulgaria 12.8 14.6 14.2 13.4 12.4 22 22 21 19 18
Czechia 7.0 7.7 6.4 6.2 6.3 22 23 19 18 18
Denmark 10.5 9.2 9.3 9.5 9.5 49 43 42 43 43
Germany 6.5 6.3 6.3 6.3 6.3 277 268 267 267 266
Estonia 12.1 10.3 13.1 16.7 : 7 6 8 10 :
Ireland 14.7 14.2 14.4 13.9 12.9 39 39 39 37 35
Greece 40.5 38.4 37.9 : : 108 95 93 : :
Spain 37.3 34.3 34.3 34.4 34.3 569 518 513 518 525
France 21.6 20.5 20.4 20.3 20.4 601 574 575 574 580
Croatia 26.4 23.8 23.0 23.0 23.0 43 36 34 34 34
Italy 34.6 31.7 31.1 31.3 31.6 534 484 463 462 470
Cyprus 25.2 19.0 : : : 9 7 : : :
Latvia 16.3 10.5 9.6 8.6 8.6 11 7 6 5 5
Lithuania 12.6 11.2 12.4 12.2 12.6 14 12 13 13 13
Luxembourg 15.0 13.7 13.3 13.4 12.2 3 3 3 3 3
Hungary 10.6 10.2 9.7 10.0 : 35 34 32 33 :
Malta 11.0 8.4 9.2 9.1 9.5 3 2 3 3 3
Netherlands 8.5 7.2 7.3 7.7 7.5 123 104 106 112 109
Austria 9.6 9.7 8.9 8.6 9.1 50 52 47 45 48
Poland 14.3 10.8 10.3 9.9 9.6 189 140 132 126 123
Portugal 24.5 19.7 19.7 20.3 19.6 92 73 74 78 74
Romania 17.8 16.6 : : : 112 103 : : :
Slovenia 11.9 8.9 8.5 8.5 8.5 9 7 7 7 7
Slovakia 19.0 14.8 14.3 14.1 14.5 38 28 27 27 27
Finland 19.2 17.3 17.3 17.5 17.5 63 56 56 56 55
Sweden 17.3 16.8 16.9 17.1 16.8 109 103 104 105 106
United Kingdom 12.1 11.0 11.0 : : 517 467 465 : :
Iceland 7.4 6.8 6.8 6.7 6.5 2 2 2 2 2
Norway 10.4 9.9 10.1 9.7 : 38 36 37 36 :
The source datasets are available here (rates) and here (in 1000 persons).
: Data not available
Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Romania and Slovenia: quarterly data
 Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates (%), by gender
Males Females
Sep 17 Jun 18 Jul 18 Aug 18 Sep 18 Sep 17 Jun 18 Jul 18 Aug 18 Sep 18
EA19 8.5 7.9 7.8 7.8 7.8 9.3 8.6 8.5 8.4 8.4
EU28 7.2 6.6 6.6 6.6 6.6 7.7 7.1 7.0 6.9 6.9
Belgium 7.2 6.6 6.7 6.6 6.4 6.5 6.2 6.4 6.4 6.3
Bulgaria 6.2 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.9 5.8 4.7 4.7 4.6 4.6
Czechia 2.2 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 3.2 2.9 2.7 2.9 2.7
Denmark 5.3 4.7 4.7 4.7 4.7 5.9 5.2 5.2 4.9 4.9
Germany 4.0 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.3 3.0 2.9 2.9 2.9
Estonia 6.8 5.0 5.4 5.5 : 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 :
Ireland 6.9 6.0 5.9 5.8 5.7 6.3 5.6 5.7 5.4 5.1
Greece 17.1 15.1 15.1 : : 25.6 24.0 23.7 : :
Spain 15.1 13.7 13.5 13.5 13.5 18.5 16.9 16.8 16.6 16.5
France 9.5 9.1 9.3 9.4 9.4 9.2 9.1 9.1 9.1 9.1
Croatia 10.0 8.4 8.2 8.0 7.9 11.2 9.2 9.0 8.8 8.5
Italy 10.3 9.8 9.4 9.1 9.3 12.4 11.7 11.3 10.8 11.1
Cyprus 10.0 7.6 7.2 7.1 7.1 10.4 8.1 8.1 7.9 7.8
Latvia 9.1 9.1 8.8 8.5 8.3 7.8 6.3 6.3 6.3 6.2
Lithuania 8.2 6.1 6.8 6.8 6.9 5.6 5.6 5.7 5.5 5.6
Luxembourg 5.4 4.9 4.8 4.9 4.7 5.7 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.4
Hungary 3.6 3.5 3.5 3.5 : 4.5 3.9 4.1 4.3 :
Malta 4.1 4.0 4.1 3.9 3.8 4.3 3.6 3.8 3.7 3.8
Netherlands 4.3 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.7 5.1 4.0 3.9 3.9 3.8
Austria 5.9 5.0 5.0 4.7 4.9 4.8 4.5 4.8 5.0 5.0
Poland 4.6 3.7 3.7 3.6 3.6 4.8 3.6 3.4 3.3 3.1
Portugal 8.0 6.4 6.4 6.5 6.1 9.1 7.2 7.2 7.4 7.1
Romania 5.5 4.6 4.8 4.9 4.7 4.0 3.6 3.5 3.5 3.2
Slovenia 5.5 5.0 5.1 5.1 5.1 7.5 5.6 5.5 5.4 5.3
Slovakia 7.6 6.1 6.0 5.9 5.9 8.1 7.5 7.4 7.4 7.4
Finland 8.6 7.6 7.5 7.3 7.1 8.2 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5
Sweden 6.8 6.4 6.4 6.5 6.4 6.4 6.3 6.4 6.4 6.5
United Kingdom 4.3 4.0 4.1 : : 4.1 4.0 3.9 : :
Iceland 3.2 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.8 2.7 2.5 2.5 2.4 2.3
Norway 4.4 4.2 4.4 4.4 : 3.6 3.4 3.6 3.5 :
The source dataset is available here.
: Data not available