OREANDA-NEWS. The euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 10.4% in December 2015, down from 10.5% in November 2015, and from 11.4% in December 2014. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since September 2011. The EU28 unemployment rate was 9.0% in December 2015, stable compared to November 2015, and down from 9.9% in December 2014. This is the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since June 2009. These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

Eurostat estimates that 21.944 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 16.750 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in December 2015. Compared with November 2015, the number of persons unemployed
decreased by 52 000 in the EU28 and by 49 000 in the euro area. Compared with December 2014, unemployment fell by 2.026 million in the EU28 and by 1.501 million in the euro area.
 
Member States

Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates in December 2015 were recorded in the Czech Republic and Germany (both 4.5%), Malta and the United Kingdom (both 5.1%, October data for the UK). The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (24.5% in October 2015) and Spain (20.8%).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in December 2015 fell in twenty-three Member States, remained stable in Estonia and increased in four. The largest decreases were registered in Spain (from 23.6% to 20.8%), Slovakia (from 12.4% to 10.6%) and Portugal (from 13.6% to 11.8%). The increases were registered in Finland (from 9.0% to 9.5%), Austria (from 5.6% to 5.8%), Latvia (from 10.1% to 10.2%) and Romania (from 6.6% to 6.7%). In December 2015, the unemployment rate in the United States was 5.0%, stable compared to November 2015 and down from 5.6% in December 2014.

Youth unemployment

In December 2015, 4.454 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 3.057 million were in the euro area. Compared with December 2014, youth unemployment decreased by 426 000 in the EU28 and by 229 000 in the euro area. In December 2015, the youth unemployment rate was 19.7% in the EU28 and 22.0% in the euro area, compared with 21.2% and 23.0% respectively in December 2014. In December 2015, the lowest rates were observed in Germany (7.0%), Denmark (10.3%) and the Czech Republic (10.9%), and the highest in Greece (48.6% in October 2015), Spain (46.0%), Croatia (44.1% in the fourth quarter 2015) and Italy (37.9%).

Geographical coverage

The euro area (EA19) includes Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland. The European Union (EU28) includes Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.