OREANDA-NEWS. The euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 10.9% in July 2015, down from 11.1% in June 2015, and from 11.6% in July 2014. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since February 2012. The EU28 unemployment rate was 9.5% in July 2015, down from 9.6% in June 2015, and from 10.2% in July 2014. This is the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since June 2011. These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

Eurostat estimates that 23.067 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 17.532 million in the euro area, were unemployed in July 2015. Compared with June 2015, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 232 000 in the EU28 and by 213 000 in the euro area. Compared with July 2014, unemployment fell by 1.648 million in the EU28 and by 1.116 million in the euro area.

Member States

Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates in July 2015 were recorded in Germany (4.7%), the Czech Republic and Malta (both 5.1%), and the highest in Greece (25.0% in May 2015) and Spain (22.2%).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in July 2015 fell in twenty-three Member States, increased in three and remained stable in Belgium and Romania. The largest decreases were registered in Bulgaria (11.5% to 9.4%), Spain (24.3% to 22.2%), Greece (27.0% to 25.0% between May 2014 and May 2015), Portugal (14.1% to 12.1%), Ireland (11.3% to 9.5%) and Croatia (16.9% to 15.1%). The increases were registered in Finland (8.7% to 9.7%), France (10.3% to 10.4%) and Austria (5.7% to 5.8%).

In July 2015, the unemployment rate in the United States was 5.3%, stable compared to June 2015 and down from 6.2% in July 2014.