(12 February 2018) – Backed by a robust economic growth, employment in the EU continued to rise more strongly than expected in the third quarter of 2017, while unemployment figures declined further according to the latest Quarterly Review on Employment and Social Developments in Europe.
Compared to a year before, EU employment rose by 1.7%. This corresponds to an additional 4 million people employed, of which 2.7 million in the euro area. Nonetheless, large disparities among Member States remain. National employment rates ranged from 58% in Greece to 82% in Sweden.
The report also shows that unemployment in the EU is approaching pre-crisis levels at a steady pace. Unemployment has receded by around 8.6 million people since its peak recorded in April 2013 and remained below 18 million people in December 2017, the lowest level since November 2008.
Further figures on the labour market in the Quarterly Review also confirm the improved health of the EU economy: labour productivity in the EU improved by 0.8%; the financial situation of EU households continued to improve at a growth rate of around 1.5% year-on-year; labour demand and labour shortages continued to increase.