The Euro Area seasonally adjusted unemployment rate came in at 6.2% in May 2026, tying the record lows from late 2024 and unchanged from the prior month. Analysts had estimated it at 6.3%. The number of unemployed fell by 55,000 from a month earlier to a near 1-1/2-year low of 10.986 million. Meanwhile, youth unemployment stood at 14.7% in May, matching April's reading, with 2.313 million young people under 25 unemployed. Among the major economies in the bloc, Germany (3.8%) and the Netherlands (3.9%) recorded the lower rates, whereas Spain (10.3%), France (8.2%), and Italy (5%) posted the highest rates. A year ago, the jobless rate was also at 6.3%. In the broader European Union, the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.9% in May. source: EUROSTAT

Unemployment Rate In the Euro Area remained unchanged at 6.20 percent in May. Unemployment Rate in Euro Area averaged 9.14 percent from 1995 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 12.30 percent in January of 2013 and a record low of 6.20 percent in October of 2024. This page provides the latest reported value for - Euro Area Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. Euro Area Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on July of 2026.

Unemployment Rate In the Euro Area remained unchanged at 6.20 percent in May. Unemployment Rate in Euro Area is expected to be 6.30 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Euro Area Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 6.40 percent in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-06-01 09:00 AM
Unemployment Rate
Apr 6.3% 6.3% 6.2% 6.2%
2026-07-02 09:00 AM
Unemployment Rate
May 6.2% 6.2% 6.3% 6.3%
2026-07-30 09:00 AM
Unemployment Rate
Jun 6.2% 6.20%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employment Change 0.10 0.20 percent Mar 2026
Full Time Employment 126899.40 127645.30 Thousand Mar 2026
Job Vacancy Rate 2.30 2.20 percent Mar 2026
Labor Force Participation Rate 75.50 75.60 percent Mar 2026
Labour Cost Index YoY 116.20 127.10 points Mar 2026
Long Term Unemployment Rate 2.00 2.00 percent Mar 2026
Part Time Employment 32170.10 32259.40 Thousand Mar 2026
Population 351.64 350.36 Million Dec 2025
Productivity 104.24 104.22 points Mar 2026
Unemployed Persons 10986.00 11041.00 Thousand May 2026
Unemployment Rate 6.20 6.20 percent May 2026
Wage Growth YoY 3.40 3.10 percent Mar 2026
Wages 2652.00 2642.00 EUR/Month Dec 2025
Youth Unemployment Rate 14.70 14.70 percent May 2026


Euro Area Unemployment Rate
In Euro Area, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
6.20 6.20 12.30 6.20 1995 - 2026 percent Monthly
SA

News Stream
Euro Area Jobless Rate Ties Record Low at 6.2%
The Euro Area seasonally adjusted unemployment rate came in at 6.2% in May 2026, tying the record lows from late 2024 and unchanged from the prior month. Analysts had estimated it at 6.3%. The number of unemployed fell by 55,000 from a month earlier to a near 1-1/2-year low of 10.986 million. Meanwhile, youth unemployment stood at 14.7% in May, matching April's reading, with 2.313 million young people under 25 unemployed. Among the major economies in the bloc, Germany (3.8%) and the Netherlands (3.9%) recorded the lower rates, whereas Spain (10.3%), France (8.2%), and Italy (5%) posted the highest rates. A year ago, the jobless rate was also at 6.3%. In the broader European Union, the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.9% in May.
2026-07-02
Euro Area Jobless Rate Above Forecasts
The Euro Area seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 6.3% in April 2026, the same as in the previous month and above market expectations of 6.2%. The number of unemployed fell by 84,000 from a month earlier to 11.075 million. Meanwhile, youth unemployment fell to 14.7% from 15.1% the previous month, with 2.337 million young people under 25 unemployed. Among the major economies in the bloc, Spain (10.3%), France (8.2%), and Italy (5.1%) recorded the highest rates, whereas Germany (3.8%) and the Netherlands (3.9%) reported the lowest. A year ago, the jobless rate was also at 6.3%. In the broader European Union, the unemployment rate stood at 6.0% in April.
2026-06-01
Euro Area Jobless Rate Falls to 6.2%
The Euro Area seasonally adjusted unemployment rate eased to 6.2% in March 2026 from a revised 6.3% in February, in line with market expectations. The number of unemployed fell by 63,000 from a month earlier to 10.984 million. Meanwhile, youth unemployment remained elevated, with the youth jobless rate standing at 14.9% in the euro area, unchanged from the previous month, and 2.354 million young people under 25 unemployed. Among the major economies in the bloc, Spain (10.3%), France (7.7%), and Italy (5.2%) recorded the highest rates, whereas Germany (4.0%) and the Netherlands (4.0%) reported the lowest. A year ago, the jobless rate was slightly higher at 6.3%. In the broader European Union, the unemployment rate stood at 6.0% in March.
2026-04-30