Unemployment in Bulgaria in June 9.6%, matching EU average
Unemployment in Bulgaria in June 2015 was 9.6 per cent, the same as the European Union average, according to seasonally-adjusted figures released by EU statistics office Eurostat on July 31.
The unemployment rate in Bulgaria has been decreasing over the past year. In June 2014, it was 11.4 per cent.
In March 2015, the figure was 9.9 per cent, dropping to 9.8 per cent in April and 9.7 per cent in May 2015.
Across the 28 member states of the EU, unemployment in June 2015 was unchanged compared with May 2015, and down from 10.2 per cent in June 2014.
In the 19-member euro zone, unemployment was 11.1 per cent in June 2015.
Eurostat estimates that 23.296 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 17.756 million in the euro area, were unemployed in June 2015.
Compared with May 2015, the number of unemployed people decreased by 32 000 in the EU28 and increased by 31 000 in the euro zone. Compared with June 2014, unemployment fell by 1.448 million in the EU28 and by 811 000 in the euro zone.
Among EU member states, unemployment in June 2015 was lowest in Germany (4.7 per cent) and the Czech Republic (4.9 per cent), and the highest in Greece (25.6 per cent in April 2015) and Spain (22.5 per cent).
Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in June 2015 fell in 21 EU countries, increased in five and remained stable in both France and Cyprus.
The largest decreases were registered in Lithuania (10.9 per cent to 8.5 per cent), Spain (24.5 per cent to 22.5 per cent) and Portugal (14.3 per cent to 12.4 per cent).
The increases were registered in Belgium (8.4 per cent to 8.6 per cent), Romania (6.8 per cent to seven per cent), Italy (12.4 per cent to 12.7 per cent), Austria (5.7 per cent to six per cent) and Finland (8.6 per cent to 9.5 per cent).
As to youth unemployment, June 2015 found Bulgaria, at 18.8 per cent, below the EU average of 20.7 per cent.
Youth unemployment in Bulgaria also has been decreasing, from 23.7 per cent in June 2014.
Eurostat said that compared with June 2014, youth unemployment decreased by 386 000 in the EU28 and by 225 000 in the euro area.
In June 2015, the youth unemployment rate was 20.7 per cent in the EU28 and 22.5 per cent in the euro area, compared with 22.1 per cent and 23.6 per cent, respectively, in June 2014.
In June 2015, the lowest rates of youth unemployment were in Germany (7.1 per cent), Malta (10 per cent), Estonia (10.1 per cent in May 2015), Denmark and Austria (both 10.3 per cent), and the highest in Greece (53.2 per cent in April 2015), Spain (49.2 per cent), Italy (44.2 per cent) and Croatia (43.1 per cent in the second quarter 2015).
(Photo: Mark Puplava/freeimages.com)
