EU unemployment 9.8% in March 2015, 10.4% in Bulgaria
Unemployment in Bulgaria in March 2015 was 10.4 per cent, down from 12.1 per cent in March 2014, according to seasonally-adjusted figures released by European Union statistics office Eurostat on April 30.
According to Eurostat, in March 2014, about 407 000 Bulgarians were jobless. A year later, the figure was 350 000.
The euro zone seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 11.3 per cent in March 2015, stable compared with February 2015, but down from 11.7 per cent in March 2014.
The EU28 unemployment rate was 9.8 per cent in March 2015, stable compared with February 2015 and down from 10.4 per cent in March 2014, Eurostat said.
Eurostat estimates that 23.748 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 18.105 million in the euro area, were unemployed in March 2015.
Compared with February 2015, the number of unemployed decreased by 75 000 in the EU28 and by 36 000 in the euro area. Compared with March 2014, unemployment fell by 1.523 million in the EU28 and by 679 000 in the euro area.
Among EU countries, unemployment in March 2015 was lowest in Germany (4.7 per cent), and the highest in Greece (25.7 per cent in January 2015) and Spain (23 per cent).
Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in March 2015 fell in 22 EU countries, increased in five and remained stable in Austria.
The largest decreases were registered in Ireland (12 per cent to 9.8 per cent), Spain (25.1 per cent to 23.0 per cent) and Poland (9.6 per cent to 7.7 per cent).
The increases were registered in Croatia (17.3 per cent to 18.2 per cent), Finland (8.4 per cent to 9.1 per cent), Italy (12.4 per cent to 13 per cent), France (10.1 per cent to 10.6 per cent) and Belgium (8.4 per cent to 8.5 per cent).
(Photo: Mark Puplava/freeimages.com)
