The euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 10.7% in October 2015, down from 10.8% in September 2015, and from 11.5% in October 2014. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since January 2012. The EU28 unemployment rate was 9.3% in October 2015, stable compared to September 2015, and down from 10.1% in October 2014. This is the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since September 2009. These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

Eurostat estimates that 22.497 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 17.240 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in October 2015. Compared with September 2015, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 36 000 in the EU28 and by 13 000 in the euro area. Compared with October 2014, unemployment fell by 1.942 million in the EU28 and by 1.302 million in the euro area.

Member States

Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates in October 2015 were recorded in Germany (4.5%), the Czech Republic (4.7%) and Malta (5.1%), and the highest in Greece (24.6% in August 2015) and Spain (21.6%).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in October 2015 fell in twenty-four Member States and increased in four. The largest decreases were registered in Spain (from 23.9% to 21.6%), Slovakia (from 12.7% to 10.7%), Ireland (from 10.7% to 8.9%) and Croatia (from 17.6% to 15.8%). The increases were registered in Finland (9.0% to 9.5%), France (10.5% to 10.8%), Belgium (8.6% to 8.7%) and Romania (6.7% to 6.8%).

In October 2015, the unemployment rate in the United States was 5.0%, down from 5.1% in September 2015 and from 5.7% in October 2014.

Youth unemployment

In October 2015, 4.530 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 3.148 million were in the euro area. Compared with October 2014, youth unemployment decreased by 466 000 in the EU28 and by 191 000 in the euro area. In October 2015, the youth unemployment rate was 20.0% in the EU28 and 22.3% in the euro area, compared with 21.7% and 23.3% respectively in October 2014. In October 2015, the lowest rates were observed in Germany (7.1%), Austria (10.4%), Denmark (10.9%) and the Netherlands (11.6%), and the highest in Greece (47.9% in August 2015), Spain (47.7%), Croatia (43.1% in the third quarter 2015) and Italy (39.8%).

Government statement

In a statement, government said that Malta had the third lowest unemployment rate in Europe in September.

“According to Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil, it is not true that the unemployment rate reduced , and that the results are due to the forced removal of people from the register. These negative statements have been proven wrong by these statistics. Eurostat does not use administrative sources like the ETC register, but rather arrives at its conclusions through an independent and scientific survey of Maltese families.

Around the time of the previous government’s final budget, there were 12,000 persons looking for work according to Eurostat, the statement read. “Today, this reduced to 10,000”.

Government attributed this decrease to measures it has taken, including the Youth Guarantee.