ZAGREB, February 1, 2019 – The EU28 unemployment rate in December 2018 remained the lowest rate recorded since the start of the European Union monthly unemployment series in January 2000, while unemployment in Croatia it mildly decreased and was again lower than the euro area average, according to Eurostat.
The EU28 unemployment rate was 6.6% in December 2018, stable compared with November 2018 and down from 7.2% in December 2017.
The euro area seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 7.9% in December 2018, stable compared with November 2018 and down from 8.6% in December 2017. This remains the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since October 2008.
Eurostat estimates that 16.306 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 12.919 million in the euro area, were unemployed in December 2018. Compared with November 2018, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 75,000 in both the EU28 and the euro area. Compared with December 2017, unemployment fell by 1.533 million in the EU28 and by 1.174 million in the euro area.
Among the member states, the lowest unemployment rates in December 2018 were recorded in Czechia (2.1%), Germany (3.3%), Poland (3.5%) and the Netherlands (3.6%). The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (18.6% in October 2018), Spain (14.3%) and Italy (10.3%).
In Croatia, the unemployment rate in December 2018 was 7.7%, down 0.1 percentage points on the month. It was lower than the euro area average for the second month running. Eurostat estimates that 137,000 Croatians were unemployed, 3,000 fewer than in November 2018 and 39,000 fewer than in December 2017.
Croatia was again among the member states with the largest unemployment decreases year on year, by 2 pp. The largest decrease was recorded in Greece, by 2.4 pp.
In December 2018, 3.365 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 2.391 million were in the euro area. Compared with December 2017, youth unemployment decreased by 249,000 in the EU28 and by 141,000 in the euro area. In December 2018, the youth unemployment rate was 14.9% in the EU28 and 16.6% in the euro area, compared with 16.1% and 17.8% respectively in December 2017.
In December 2018, the lowest rates were observed in Czechia (5.8%), Germany (6.0%) and the Netherlands (6.6%), while the highest were recorded in Greece (38.5% in October 2018), Spain (32.7%) and Italy (31.9%).
In Croatia, youth unemployment in the last quarter of 2018 was 22.7%, down 1.2 pp on Q3, with 33,000 young Croats out of work, 3,000 fewer than in Q3.
More news on unemployment in Croatia can be found in the Business section.
