EU unemployment rate remains at lowest since 2000

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - Unemployment in the EU was 6.3% in November, remaining at the lowest rate since January 2000, the bloc's statistical office announced Thursday.

The figure was stable compared to a month earlier, and fell from 6.6% in the same month of the previous year.

"The euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 7.5% in November 2019, stable compared with October 2019 and down from 7.9% in November 2018, " the statistical office said.

The eurozone/euro area or EA19 represents member states that use the single currency -- euro -- while the EU28 includes all member countries of the bloc.

It estimated that 15.6 million people in the EU28, including 12.3 million in the euro area, were jobless in the month.

The number of people unemployed across the 28-member bloc rose 34,000 month-on-month, while dropping 624,000 on a yearly basis.

Eurostat said the lowest unemployment rates in November 2019 were recorded in Czechia with 2.2% and Germany with 3.1%.

The highest figures were seen in Greece (16.8% in September 2019, the latest available figures) and Spain (14.1%).

Data showed that the youth unemployment rate in the EU28 was 14.3%.

"3.2 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 2.3 million were in the euro zone," it said.