The euro area seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate stood at 7.5% in June 2019, down from 8.2% in June 2018 and the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since July 2008, according to data from Eurostat.

At the same time, the EU 28 unemployment rate stood at 6.3% in June 2019, down from 6.8% in June 2018. This remains the lowest rate recorded in the EU 28 since the start of the EU monthly unemployment series in January 2000.

The euro area unemployment rate was down from 7.6% in May 2019 while the EU 28 unemployment rate remained stable compared to May 2019.

Eurostat estimates that 15.67 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 12.37 million in the euro area, were unemployed in June 2019. Compared with June 2018, unemployment fell by 1.20 million in the EU28 and by 1.03 million in the euro area. Compared with May 2019, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 36 000 in the EU28 and by 45 000 in the euro area.

Among the member states, the lowest unemployment rates in June 2019 were recorded in Czech Republic (1.9%) and Germany (3.1%). The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (17.6% in April 2019) and Spain (14.0%).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate fell in 24 Member States and remained stable in Estonia and Poland, while it increased in Sweden (from 6.3% to 6.4%) and Luxembourg (from 5.6% to 5.8%).

In June 2019, the youth unemployment rate stood at 14.1% in the EU28 and 15.4% in the euro area, compared with 15.2% and 17.0% respectively in June 2018.