(05 June 2015) – Eurostat estimates that 23.504 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 17.846 million in the euro area, were unemployed in April 2015. Compared with April 2014, unemployment fell by 1.545 million in the EU28 and by 849 000 in the euro area.
Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rate in April 2015 was recorded in Germany (4.7%), and the highest in Greece (25.4% in February 2015) and Spain (22.7%). /p>
Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in April 2015 fell in twenty-two Member States and increased in six. The largest decreases were registered in Spain (24.9% to 22.7%), Lithuania (11.1% to 8.9%) and Ireland (11.8% to 9.7%). The increases were registered in Belgium (8.4% to 8.5%), Romania (6.8% to 6.9%), Austria (5.5% to 5.7%), France (10.1% to 10.5%), Croatia (17.1% to 17.5%) and Finland (8.5% to 9.4%).
In April 2015, 4.746 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 3.168 million were in the euro area. Compared with April 2014, youth unemployment decreased by 478 000 in the EU28 and by 270 000 in the euro area. In April 2015, the youth unemployment rate was 20.7% in the EU28 and 22.3% in the euro area, compared with 22.5% and 23.9% respectively in April 2014.
In April 2015, the lowest rates were observed in Germany (7.2%), Austria and Denmark (both 10.1%), and the highest in Greece (50.1% in February 2015), Spain (49.6%), Croatia (45.5% in the first quarter 2015) and Italy (40.9%).