The EU28 unemployment rate stood at 6.7% in October 2018, down from 7.4% in October 2017, and the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since the start of the EU monthly unemployment series in January 2000, according to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

The euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate stood at 8.1% in October 2018, down from 8.8% in October 2017 and the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since November 2008.

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

According to Eurostat, 16.62 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 13.17 million in the euro area, were unemployed in October 2018. Compared with October 2017, unemployment fell by 1.52 million in the EU28 and by 1.12 million in the euro area. Compared with September 2018, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 4,000 in the EU28 and increased by 12, 000 in the euro area.

Among the member states, the lowest unemployment rates in October 2018 were recorded in the Czech Republic (2.2%) and Germany (3.3%). The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (18.9% in August 2018) and Spain (14.8%).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate fell in all member states. The largest decreases were registered in Croatia (from 10.2% to 8.1%), Greece (from 20.8% to 18.9% between August 2017 and August 2018), Spain (from 16.6% to 14.8%) and Portugal (from 8.4% to 6.7%).

tThe youth unemployment rate in October was 15.3% in the EU28 and 17.3% in the euro area, compared with 16.3% and 18.1% respectively in October 2017. The lowest rates were observed in Czech Republic (5.2%), Germany (6.2%) and the Netherlands (7.2%), while the highest were recorded in Greece (36.8% in August 2018), Spain (34.9%) and Italy (32.5%).