Euro area unemployment remained at 7.8% in February

According to the report from Eurostat, the euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 7.8% in January 2019, stable compared with December 2018 and down from 8.6% in January 2018. This remains the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since October 2008. The EU28 unemployment rate was 6.5% in January 2019, down from 6.6% in December 2018 and from 7.2% in January 2018. This is the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since the start of the EU monthly unemployment series in January 2000.

Eurostat estimates that 16.222 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 12.848 million in the euro area, were unemployed in January 2019. Compared with December 2018, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 56 000 in the EU28 and by 23 000 in the euro area. Compared with January 2018, unemployment fell by 1.536 million in the EU28 and by 1.233 million in the euro area.

In January 2019, 3.375 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 2.383 million were in the euro area. Compared with January 2018, youth unemployment decreased by 184 000 in the EU28 and by 141 000 in the euro area. In January 2019, the youth unemployment rate was 14.9% in the EU28 and 16.5% in the euro area, compared with 15.8% and 17.7% respectively in January 2018.