Analytics, Education and Science, Employment, EU – Baltic States, Labour-market

The European Union (EU) unemployment rate was 9.3% in September 2015, down from 9.4% in August 2015, and from 10.1% in September 2014. This is the lowest rate recorded in the EU since September 2009, Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union said.

Eurostat estimates that 22.631 million men and women in the EU, of whom 17.323 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in September 2015. Compared with August 2015, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 147 000 in the EU and by 131 000 in the euro area. Compared with September 2014, unemployment fell by 1.832 million in the EU and by 1.194 million in the euro area.

In Lithuania, 141 000 persons were unemployed in September 2015. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Lithuania stood at 9.5% in September 2015. It was 9.6% in August 2015 and 10.3% in September 2014.

Youth unemployment in Lithuania stood at 18.8% in September 2015, with 23 000 young persons unemployed. Youth unemployment was 18.9% in August 2015 and 18.3% in September 2014.

Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates in September 2015 were recorded in Germany (4.5%), the Czech Republic (4.8%), Malta (5.1%) and the United Kingdom (5.3% in July 2015), and the highest in Greece (25.0% in July 2015) and Spain (21.6%). Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in September 2015 fell in twenty-three Member States, increased in four and remained stable in Austria. The largest decreases were registered in Spain (from 24.0% to 21.6%), Estonia (from 8.0% to 5.7% between August 2014 and August 2015), Bulgaria (11.3% to 9.4%) and Slovakia (12.9% to 11.0%). The increases were registered in Finland (8.9% to 9.5%), France (10.4% to 10.7%), Romania (6.7% to 6.8%) and Belgium (8.6% to 8.7%).

In September 2015, the unemployment rate in the United States was 5.1%, stable compared to August 2015 and down from 5.9% in September 2014.

In September 2015, 4.540 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU, of whom 3.113 million were in the euro area. Compared with September 2014, youth unemployment decreased by 500 000 in the EU and by 251 000 in the euro area. In September 2015, the youth unemployment rate was 20.1% in the EU and 22.1% in the euro area, compared with 21.8% and 23.4% respectively in September 2014. In September 2015, the lowest rates were observed in Germany (7.0%), Austria (11.0%), Denmark (11.2%) and the Netherlands (11.5%), and the highest in Greece (48.6% in July 2015), Spain (46.7%), Croatia (43.1% in the third quarter 2015) and Italy (40.5%).