The euro area’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 6.5% in April 2023, down from 6.7% recorded in April 2022. At the same time, the EU unemployment rate was 6.0% in April 2023, down from the rate of 6.1% recorded in April 2022, according to figures published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

On a month-on-month basis, the euro area’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate trended downward from the 6.6% recorded in March 2023. The EU unemployment rate remained stable at 6.0%.

Eurostat estimates that in April 2023, 13.028 million people were unemployed in the EU, including 11.088 million in the euro area. Compared to March 2023, unemployment fell by 18,000 in the EU and by 33,000 in the euro zone. Compared to April 2022, unemployment fell by 212,000 in the EU and by 203,000 in the euro zone.

By gender, the unemployment rate for women was 6.3% in the EU, stable compared to the rate recorded in March 2023 and down from 6.6% in April 2022. In the EU, the unemployment rate for men was 5.8% in April 2023, up from the 5.7% rate recorded the previous month and unchanged from April 2022.

In the euro area, the unemployment rate for women stood at 6.9%, stable compared to the rate recorded in March 2023 and down 0.3% from April 2022. The unemployment rate for men was at 6.2%, a rate also stable compared to that recorded in the previous month and down 0.2% from the previous year.

In April 2023, the youth unemployment rate stood at 13.8% in the EU and 13.9% in the euro area, down from 14.0% recorded the previous month in both areas. Over the year, the decrease stood at 0.4% for both the euro area and EU youth unemployment rates.

Meanwhile, by country, Spain recorded the highest overall unemployment rate in April 2023 (12.7%). This was followed by Greece (11.2%). The lowest unemployment rate was seen in Poland (2.7%) and Czech Republic (also 2.7%).