The euro area seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate stood at 7.5% in September 2019, down from 8.0% in September 2018, while the EU28 unemployment rate was 6.3% in September 2019, down from 6.7% in September 2018, according to data from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

September’s EU28 unemployment rate remains the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since the start of the EU monthly unemployment series in January 2000.

When compared to the previous month, the unemployment rate was stable in the euro area and in the EU28.

Eurostat estimates that 15.63 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 12.33 million in the euro area, were unemployed in September 2019. Compared with August 2019, the number of persons unemployed increased by 48,000 in the EU28 and by 33,000 in the euro area. Compared with September 2018, unemployment fell by 889,000 in the EU28 and by 738,000 in the euro area.

Among the member states, the lowest unemployment rates in September 2019 were recorded in Czech Republic (2.1%) and Germany (3.1%). The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (16.9% in July 2019) and Spain (14.2%).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate fell in 22 Member States, remained stable in Belgium, Portugal and Romania while it increased in Lithuania (from 6.3% to 6.5%), Denmark (from 5.0% to 5.3%), and Sweden (from 6.3% to 7.3%).

The largest decreases were registered in Greece (from 19.1% to 16.9% between July 2018 and July 2019), Cyprus (from 8.0% to 6.6%) and Estonia (from 5.3% to 3.9% between August 2018 and August 2019).

Meanwhile, in September 2019, the youth unemployment rate was 14.5% in the EU28 and 15.9% in the euro area, compared with 15.0% and 16.7%, respectively in September 2018.