Monthly unemployment across the EU generally fell throughout 2019, reaching a low of 6.5 percent in March 2020 - thereafter, the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic saw a sharp rise in unemployment, peaking at 7.8 percent in August. Unemployment remained high throughout the pandemic's first year, before falling in its second year, when it then fell to pre-pandemic levels 18 months after it began. From January to July 2024, unemployment in the EU remained fairly consistent at around six percent.

Unemployment Rate In the Euro Area decreased to 6.20 percent in July from 6.30 percent in June of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Euro Area Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate: Aged 15-24: Males for the European Union (LRUN24MAEUQ156S) from Q1 2005 to Q4 2019 about EU, 15 to 24 years, males, Europe, unemployment, and rate.

From the second quarter of 2022, France was the country of those included in the chart with the highest unemployment rates. During the first quarter of 2024, the European country registered an unemployment rate of **** percent. In the same quarter, Japan had the lowest unemployment rates of the countries included. China does not release quarterly unemployment rate statistics anymore. Monthly unemployment data can be found here.

Between 2018 and 2025, the employment rate in Italy was higher for women than for men. In the first quarter of 2025, the figure stood at *** percent for males and ***** percent for females. Italy registers one of the highest unemployment rates in Europe. Nevertheless, both figures decreased in recent years.

Graph and download economic data for Total Harmonized Unemployment: All Persons for the European Union (LFHUTTTTEUQ647S) from Q1 2000 to Q4 2019 about EU, Europe, persons, and unemployment.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate: Aged 15-24: All Persons for the European Union (LRUN24TTEUQ156N) from Q2 2000 to Q4 2019 about EU, 15 to 24 years, Europe, unemployment, and rate.

The 'LFS main indicators' section presents a selection of the main statistics on the labour market. They encompass indicators of activity, employment and unemployment. Those indicators are based on the results of the European Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS), in few cases integrated with data sources like national accounts employment or registered unemployment. As a result of the application of adjustments, corrections and reconciliation of EU Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS) data, the 'LFS main indicators' is the most complete and reliable collection of employment and unemployment data available in the sub-domain 'Employment and unemployment'.

The EU-LFS data used for 'LFS main indicators' are, where necessary, adjusted and enriched in various ways, in accordance with the specificities of an indicator. The most common adjustments cover:

• estimation of missing values, i.e. in case of missing quarters, annual results and EU aggregates are estimated using interpolations of EU Labour Force Survey data with reference to the available quarter(s).
• for all quarterly indicators seasonally adjusted data are available.
• correction of the main breaks in the LFS series.

Those adjustments may produce some differences between data published under 'LFS main indicators' and 'LFS series – detailed quarterly/annual survey results', particularly for back data. For the most recent years, the different series converge, due to the implementation of a continuous quarterly survey and the improved quality of the data.

This page focuses on the 'LFS main indicators' in general. There are special pages for indicators that are listed below:

• Monthly Unemployment: une_rt_m.

Quarterly and annual unemployment figures are derived in line with all other LFS Main Indciators, and no longer aggregated from monthly unemployment series.

• Duration of working life - annual data: lfsi_dwl_a;
• Population in jobless households - annual data: lfsi_jhh_a;
• Labour market transitions - LFS longitudinal data: lfsi_long.

The entry of the new Framework regulation on Social Statistics (IESS) in 2021 created changes in the LFS Main Indicators. Most countries expected breaks for a number of series derived from LFS microdata, therefore Eurostat and participating countries launched a joint break correction exercise to produce comparable data before and under IESS. The 'LFS main indicators' section therefore contains two type of datasets depending on the underlying regulation. The first type of datasets are historical series under the pre-IESS regulation, and include the suffix ‘_h’ for historical series at the end of the table titles. Historical series will remain accessible and are continued until 2020Q4 LFS microdata revisions of previously released EU-LFS series. Reasons for revisions are for example weight revisions due to revised weighting routines, or census revisions. The second type of datasets are new tables that are filled with data under IESS from 2021Q1 on. These tables also include the break-corrected 2009Q1-2020Q4 data that are produced in the break correction exercise. If countries send longer complete time series than starting in 2009, that data will also be used and published. Until fully back-estimated series in line with IESS are available for all countries, EU and EA aggregates were based on the data that is available at the time and was flagged with a break flag. Fully break-free EU and EA aggregates were published for the first time in February 2022. More information can be found on the EU-LFS Breaks in Time Series (Statistics Explained) webpage.

General information on the EU-LFS can be found in the ESMS page for 'Employment and unemployment (LFS)', see link in related metadata. Detailed information on the main features, the legal basis, the methodology and the data as well as on the historical development of the EU-LFS is available on the EU-LFS (Statistics Explained) webpage.

The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed persons as a percentage of the labour force (the total number of people employed and unemployed) based on International Labour Office (ILO) definition. Unemployed persons comprise persons aged 15 to 74 who fulfil all three following conditions: - are without work during the reference week; - are available to start work within the next two weeks; - have been actively seeking work in the past four weeks or have already found a job to start within the next three months. The indicator monitors high and persistent rates of unemployment and it helps to better understand the potential severity of macroeconomic imbalances. It points towards a potential misallocation of resources and general lack of adjustment capacity in the economy. The quarterly time series are seasonally adjusted. The data source is the quarterly EU Labour Force Survey (EU LFS). The EU LFS covers the resident population in private households.

Key information about EU Unemployment Rate

• EU Unemployment Rate remained the same at 5.80% in Jan 2025, from the previously reported figure of 5.80% in Dec 2024.
• EU Unemployment Rate is updated monthly, available from Jan 2000 to Jan 2025, with an average rate of 9.30%.
• The data reached an all-time high of 11.70% in May 2013 and a record low of 5.80% in Jan 2025.
• The data is reported by reported by Eurostat.
• In the latest reports, EU Population reached 449.31 million people in Dec 2023.

The unemployment rate in the European Union and the Euro area from 2013 to 2024 has a decreasing trend. In 2024, the average unemployment rate in the EU was 5.9 percent.

Euro Area - Unemployment by sex and age – monthly data was 13.90 % of population in the labour force in July of 2025, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Euro Area - Unemployment by sex and age – monthly data - last updated from the EUROSTAT on September of 2025. Historically, Euro Area - Unemployment by sex and age – monthly data reached a record high of 25.50 % of population in the labour force in January of 2013 and a record low of 13.90 % of population in the labour force in July of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate: Aged 15-64: All Persons for the European Union (LRUN64TTEUQ156S) from Q1 2005 to Q4 2019 about EU, 15 to 64 years, Europe, unemployment, and rate.

European Union Unemployment Rate: EU 27 excl UK: Female data was reported at 7.000 % in Mar 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7.100 % for Feb 2020. European Union Unemployment Rate: EU 27 excl UK: Female data is updated monthly, averaging 10.100 % from Jan 2000 (Median) to Mar 2020, with 243 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.100 % in Feb 2013 and a record low of 6.700 % in Jun 2019. European Union Unemployment Rate: EU 27 excl UK: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s European Union – Table EU.G010: Eurostat: Unemployment Rate.

Estonia - Long-term unemployment by sex - quarterly data was 2.10 % of population in the labour force in March of 2025, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Estonia - Long-term unemployment by sex - quarterly data - last updated from the EUROSTAT on September of 2025. Historically, Estonia - Long-term unemployment by sex - quarterly data reached a record high of 8.30 % of population in the labour force in June of 2010 and a record low of 0.60 % of population in the labour force in September of 2019.

Unemployment Rate: sa: Euro Area 20: Female: Age 25 to 74 data was reported at 5.700 % in Mar 2025. This stayed constant from the previous number of 5.700 % for Feb 2025. Unemployment Rate: sa: Euro Area 20: Female: Age 25 to 74 data is updated monthly, averaging 8.900 % from Jan 2000 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 303 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.100 % in Apr 2013 and a record low of 5.600 % in Nov 2024. Unemployment Rate: sa: Euro Area 20: Female: Age 25 to 74 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s European Union – Table EU.G: Eurostat: Unemployment Rate: Seasonally Adjusted.

The total employment rate in the European reached 71.7 percent in the third quarter of 2024, an increase on the previous quarter and amongst the highest employment rates in the union since 2005. There is a marked inequality between the male and female employment rates in the EU, with the male employment rate being approximately 75 percent, while the rate for females is around 66 percent. The gap between men and women has declined since 2005, when the gap was almost 15 percent, rather than the 10 percent it is today.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Monthly Unemployment Rate Male: 25 Years or over for OECD (OECDLRHUADMASTQ) from Q1 2007 to Q2 2025 about OECD Europe, 25 years +, males, harmonized, Europe, labor force, labor, and unemployment.

Luxembourg - Unemployment by sex and age – monthly data was 20.20 % of population in the labour force in July of 2025, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Luxembourg - Unemployment by sex and age – monthly data - last updated from the EUROSTAT on September of 2025. Historically, Luxembourg - Unemployment by sex and age – monthly data reached a record high of 26.60 % of population in the labour force in June of 2020 and a record low of 2.70 % of population in the labour force in April of 1991.

EU UK: Unemployment Rate: sa: Female: Age 25 to 74 data was reported at 3.100 % in Apr 2018. This stayed constant from the previous number of 3.100 % for Mar 2018. EU UK: Unemployment Rate: sa: Female: Age 25 to 74 data is updated monthly, averaging 4.900 % from Jan 1983 (Median) to Apr 2018, with 424 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.000 % in Jan 1987 and a record low of 2.800 % in Jul 2005. EU UK: Unemployment Rate: sa: Female: Age 25 to 74 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.Eurostat: Unemployment Rate: Seasonally Adjusted.