EU unemployment 10% in October 2014, Bulgaria 11.1% – Eurostat
Unemployment across the 28 member states of the European Union was 10 per cent in October 2014, with Bulgaria higher at 11.1 per cent, according to figures released on November 28 by EU statistics office Eurostat.
Unemployment in Bulgaria was down from 11.2 per cent in September 2014 and from 13 per cent in October 2013, according to Eurostat. Year-on-year, the decrease in the unemployment rate in Bulgaria was among the largest in the EU.
The latest figure means that about 367 000 people in Bulgaria are jobless.
The EU figure for October 2014 was stable compared to September 2014 and down from 10.7 per cent in October 2013.
The euro zone seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 11.5 per cent in October 2014, stable compared with September 2014 but down from 11.9 per cent in October 2013.
Compared with October 2013, unemployment fell by 1.549 million in the EU28 and by 547 000 in the euro area.
Among the EU member states, the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Germany (4.9 per cent) and Austria (5.1 per cent), and the highest in Greece (25.9 per cent in August 2014) and Spain (24.0 per cent).
Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in October 2014 fell in 22 EU countries, increased in five and remained stable in Luxembourg.
The largest decreases were registered in Hungary (10 per cent to 7.3 per cent between September 2013 and September 2014), Portugal (15.6 per cent to 13.4 per cent), Spain (26.0 per cent to 24.0 per cent), Bulgaria (13 per cent to 11.1 per cent) and Greece (27.8 per cent to 25.9 per cent between August 2013 and August 2014).
The highest increases were registered in Italy (12.3 per cent to 13.2 per cent) and Finland (8.3 per cent to 8.9 per cent).
As to youth unemployment, Bulgaria’s rate was 21.5 per cent in October 2014, down from 22 per cent in September 2014 and from 27.4 per cent in October 2013.
In October 2014, 4.983 million young people (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 3.356 million were in the euro area.
Compared with October 2013, youth unemployment decreased by 504 000 in the EU28 and
by 141 000 in the euro area.
In October 2014, the youth unemployment rate was 21.6 per cent in the EU28 and 23.5 per cent in
the euro area, compared with 23.3 per cent and 24.0 per cent respectively in October 2013.
In October 2014, the lowest rates of youth unemployment were observed in Germany (7.7 per cent), the Netherlands (9.7 per cent) and Austria (10.0 per cent), and the highest in Spain (53.8 per cent), Greece (49.3 per cent in August 2014), Italy (43.3 per cent) and Croatia (41.5 per cent in the third quarter 2014).
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