EU unemployment 9.5% in August 2015, Bulgaria 9.7% – Eurostat
Unemployment in the European Union was 9.5 per cent in August 2015, down from 10.1 per cent in August 2014, according to figures released by EU statistics office Eurostat on September 30.
In Bulgaria, unemployment in August 2015 was 9.7 per cent, down from 11.4 per cent in August 2014, among the largest decreases in joblessness among EU member countries, going by Eurostat figures.
The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in the 19-member euro zone was 11 per cent in August 2015, down from 11.5 per cent the same month in 2014.
Eurostat estimated that 23.022 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 17.603 million were in the euro zone, were unemployed in August 2015.
Compared with July 2015, the number of unemployed people decreased by 33 000 in the EU28 and by 1000 in the euro area.
Compared with August 2014, unemployment fell by 1.490 million in the EU28 and by 892 000 in the euro area.
Among EU countries, in August 2015 unemployment was lowest in Germany (4.5 per cent), the Czech Republic (5.0 per cent) and Malta (5.1 per cent), and the highest in Greece (25.2 per cent in June 2015) and Spain (22.2 per cent).
Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in August 2015 fell in 23 EU countries, increased in four and remained stable in Romania.
The largest decreases were registered in Slovakia (from 13.2 per cent to 11.1 per cent), Spain (24.2 per cent to 22.2 per cent), Estonia (7.6 per cent to 5.7 per cent between July 2014 and July 2015), Bulgaria (11.4 per cent to 9.7 per cent), Ireland (11.1 per cent to 9.5 per cent) and Poland (8.7 per cent to 7.2 per cent).
The increases were registered in Austria (5.6 per cent to 5.7 per cent), Belgium (8.6 per cent to 8.8 per cent), France (10.4 per cent to 10.8 per cent) and Finland (8.8 per cent to 9.7 per cent).
(Photo: Mark Puplava/freeimages.com)
