OREANDA-NEWS. The euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 10.2% in April 2016, stable compared with March 2016, and down from 11.0% in April 2015. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since August 2011. The EU28 unemployment rate was 8.7% in April 2016, down from 8.8% in March 2016, and from 9.6% in April 2015. This is the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since April 2009. These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

Eurostat estimates that 21.224 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 16.420 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in April 2016. Compared with March 2016, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 106 000 in the EU28 and by 63 000 in the euro area. Compared with April 2015, unemployment fell by 2.096 million in the EU28 and by 1.309 million in the euro area.

Member States

Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates in April 2016 were recorded in the Czech Republic (4.1%), Germany (4.2%) and Malta (4.3%). The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (24.2% in February 2016) and Spain (20.1%).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in April 2016 fell in twenty-five Member States, remained stable in Belgium and increased in Estonia (from 6.7% in March 2015 to 6.8% in March 2016) and Latvia (from 9.5% to 9.6%). The largest decreases were registered in Cyprus (from 15.7% to 11.6%), Bulgaria (from 10.0% to 7.1%) and Spain (from 22.7% to 20.1%)

In April 2016, the unemployment rate in the United States was 5.0%, stable compared with March 2016, and down from 5.4% in April 2015