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Europe – Unemployment tracking steady

01 May 2015

The unemployment rate across the European Union was 9.8% in March 2015, stable compared with February 2015, but a decrease compared with 10.4% in March 2014, according to the latest figures from Eurostat, the statistical body of the European Union.

Across the Eurozone unemployment also remained static, month-on-month, at 11.3% and down compared with 11.7% in March 2014.

Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rate in March 2015 was recorded in Germany (4.7%), and the highest in Greece (25.7% in January 2015) and Spain (23.0%).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in March 2015 fell in 22 Member States, increased in five and remained stable in Austria. The largest decreases were registered in Ireland (down from 12.0% to 9.8%), Spain (down from 25.1% to 23.0%) and Poland (down from 9.6% to 7.7%).

The strongest increases were registered in Croatia (up from 17.3% to 18.2%), Finland (up from 8.4% to 9.1%), Italy (up from 12.4% to 13.0%), France (up from 10.1% to 10.6%), and Belgium (up from 8.4% to 8.5%).

In March 2015, the unemployment rate in the United States was 5.5%, the same as in February 2015 and down from 6.6% in March 2014.