As of June 2024, Spain had the highest youth unemployment rate in Europe, at 25.8 percent, with Sweden having the second-highest youth unemployment rate as of this month, at 23.8 percent. Across the 27 member states of the European Union, the overall youth unemployment rate was 14.6 percent, with Germany having the lowest youth unemployment rate of 6.8 percent.

The youth unemployment rate is a MIP auxiliary indicator, expressed as the percentage of unemployed individuals aged 15 to 24 compared to the total labour force (both employed and unemployed) within the same age group. Unemployed persons are defined as those who meet all three of the following conditions: they were not employed during the reference week; they were available to start working within the two weeks following the reference week; and they had actively sought work in the four weeks preceding the reference week, or had already secured a job scheduled to start within the next three months. In the table, the values are also presented as changes over a three-year period (in percentage points). The source of the data is the quarterly EU Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS), which covers the resident population living in private households.

Croatia - Youth unemployment rate was 16.80% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Croatia - Youth unemployment rate - last updated from the EUROSTAT on September of 2025. Historically, Croatia - Youth unemployment rate reached a record high of 50.50% in December of 2013 and a record low of 16.70% in December of 2019.

The statistic shows the seasonally adjusted youth unemployment rate in EU member states as of November 2024. The source defines youth unemployment as unemployment of those younger than 25 years. In November 2024, the seasonally adjusted youth unemployment rate in Spain was at 26.6 percent. Youth unemployment rate in EU member states Unemployment is a crucial economic factor for a country; youth unemployment is often examined separately because it tends to be higher than unemployment in older age groups. It comprises the unemployment figures of a country’s labor force aged 15 to 24 years old (i.e. the earliest point at which mandatory school education ends). Typically, teenagers and those in their twenties who are fresh out of education do not find jobs right away, especially if the country’s economy is experiencing difficulties, as can be seen above. Additionally, it also tends to be higher in emerging markets than in industrialized nations. Worldwide, youth unemployment figures have not changed significantly over the last decade, nor are they expected to improve in the next few years. Youth unemployment is most prevalent in the Middle East and North Africa, even though these regions report high unemployment figures regardless (Zimbabwe and Turkmenistan are among the countries with the highest unemployment rates in the world, for example), and are also highly populated areas with a rather weak infrastructure, compared to industrialized regions. In the European Union and the euro area, unemployment in general has been on the rise since 2008, which is due to the economic crisis which caused bankruptcy and financial trouble for many employers, and thus led to considerable job loss, less job offerings, and consequently, to a rise of the unemployment rate. Older workers are struggling to find new jobs despite their experience, and young graduates are struggling to find new jobs, because they have none. All in all, the number of unemployed persons worldwide is projected to rise, this is not down to the economic crisis alone, but also the industrial automation of processes previously performed by workers, as well as rising population figures.

The youth unemployment rate is calculated by dividing the number of unemployed persons aged 15 to 24 by the total active population of the same age group. The indicator is based on the EU Labour Force Survey.

Youth Unemployment Rate in European Union decreased to 14.40 percent in July from 14.80 percent in June of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - European Union Youth Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The youth unemployment ratio is the percentage of unemployed young people (i.e. people aged 15-24) in the total population of this age group. It gives an unemployment-to-population measure. The denominator used in this indicator consequently includes the employed, the unemployed but also the inactive young people.

Greece - Youth unemployment rate was 22.50% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Greece - Youth unemployment rate - last updated from the EUROSTAT on September of 2025. Historically, Greece - Youth unemployment rate reached a record high of 59.20% in December of 2013 and a record low of 21.90% in December of 2008.

Among European Union countries in March 2025, Spain had the highest unemployment rate at 10.9 percent, followed by Finland at 9.4 percent. By contrast, Czechia has the lowest unemployment rate in Europe, at 2.6 percent. The overall rate of unemployment in the European Union was 5.8 percent in the same month - a historical low-point for unemployment in the EU, which had been at over 10 percent for much of the 2010s.

The statistic reflects the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in member states of the European Union in November 2024. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Spain in November 2024 was 11.2 percent.The unemployment rate represents the share of the unemployed in all potential employees available to the job market. Unemployment rates in the EU The unemployment rate is an important measure of a country or region’s economic health, and despite unemployment levels in the European Union falling slightly from a peak in early 2013 , they remain high, especially in comparison to what the rates were before the worldwide recession started in 2008. This confirms the continuing stagnation in European markets, which hits young job seekers particularly hard as they struggle to compete against older, more experienced workers for a job, suffering under jobless rates twice as high as general unemployment. Some companies, such as Microsoft and Fujitsu, have created thousands of jobs in some of the countries which have particularly dire unemployment rates, creating a beacon of hope. However, some industries such as information technology, face the conundrum of a deficit of qualified workers in the local unemployed work force, and have to hire workers from abroad instead of helping decrease the local unemployment rates. This skills mismatch has no quick solution, as workers require time for retraining to fill the openings in the growing science-, technology-, or engineering-based jobs, and too few students choose degrees that would help them obtain these positions. Worldwide unemployment also remains high, with the rates being worst in the Middle East and North Africa. Estimates by the International Labour Organization predict that the problem will stabilize in coming years, but not improve until at least 2017.

Greece - Youth unemployment rate (15-24) was 5.40% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Greece - Youth unemployment rate (15-24) - last updated from the EUROSTAT on July of 2025. Historically, Greece - Youth unemployment rate (15-24) reached a record high of 16.50% in December of 2013 and a record low of 5.40% in December of 2024.

Youth unemployment rate by sex, age and country of birth

Croatia - Youth unemployment rate (15-24) was 5.20% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Croatia - Youth unemployment rate (15-24) - last updated from the EUROSTAT on September of 2025. Historically, Croatia - Youth unemployment rate (15-24) reached a record high of 14.90% in December of 2014 and a record low of 5.20% in December of 2024.

Youth long-term unemployment rate (12 months or longer) by sex, age and NUTS 2 region

European Union - Youth unemployment rate: Males was 15.10% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for European Union - Youth unemployment rate: Males - last updated from the EUROSTAT on July of 2025. Historically, European Union - Youth unemployment rate: Males reached a record high of 25.20% in December of 2013 and a record low of 14.60% in December of 2022.

Italy - Youth unemployment rate was 20.30% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Italy - Youth unemployment rate - last updated from the EUROSTAT on September of 2025. Historically, Italy - Youth unemployment rate reached a record high of 42.70% in December of 2014 and a record low of 20.30% in December of 2024.

European Union - Youth unemployment rate was 14.90% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for European Union - Youth unemployment rate - last updated from the EUROSTAT on September of 2025. Historically, European Union - Youth unemployment rate reached a record high of 25.20% in December of 2013 and a record low of 14.60% in December of 2023.

Youth unemployment rate by sex, age and country of birth Copyright notice and free re-use of data on: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/about-us/policies/copyright

Romania - Youth unemployment rate was 23.90% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Romania - Youth unemployment rate - last updated from the EUROSTAT on July of 2025. Historically, Romania - Youth unemployment rate reached a record high of 30.00% in December of 2014 and a record low of 18.60% in December of 2008.

European Union - Youth unemployment rate (15-24) was 6.10% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for European Union - Youth unemployment rate (15-24) - last updated from the EUROSTAT on September of 2025. Historically, European Union - Youth unemployment rate (15-24) reached a record high of 9.70% in December of 2013 and a record low of 5.90% in December of 2022.