BRUSSELS / RankWire.AI / – Euro area unemployment persisted at 6.4% in August 2026, the same as in July. According to Eurostat, the rate was 6.3% in August 2025. In the European Union, unemployment held at 6.1% for the second month in a row. The EU rate was 6.0% one year earlier, with recent data indicating a slight rise in the number of unemployed individuals.
In August, the eurozone had approximately 11.357 million unemployed persons. This figure grew by 26,000 from July and by 267,000 compared to August 2025. Across the entire European Union, roughly 13.600 million people were jobless during the same month. The EU total increased by 12,000 from July and by 348,000 relative to the same period last year.
Unemployment rates varied significantly among individual EU member states in August. Finland’s rate was 10.3%, Spain reported 10.0%, and Sweden stood at 8.7%. France’s unemployment reached 8.2%, while Italy’s was 6.2% and Germany’s only 4.0%. Czechia recorded 3.2%, and Malta, Poland, and Slovenia each registered 3.4%. Bulgaria followed at 3.5%.
Youth unemployment exhibits mixed changes in the month
Youth unemployment trends varied within the euro area and across the broader EU. The eurozone’s rate for individuals under 25 slightly decreased to 15.0% from 15.1% in July. Conversely, the EU’s youth unemployment rate rose to 15.4% from 15.3% during the same period. The number of unemployed youth in the eurozone was approximately 2.391 million, while the EU total reached 2.973 million.
In July, the number of unemployed young people in the euro area fell by 9,000. Meanwhile, across the EU, the total increased by 13,000 for the month. Compared to August 2025, youth unemployment rose by 38,000 in the eurozone. The EU experienced an annual rise of 19,000. Despite these shifts, youth unemployment rates remain significantly above the overall jobless figures in both regions.
Higher unemployment persists among women
In August, women continued to experience higher unemployment rates than men. The euro area saw a rate of 6.7% for women, compared to 6.2% for men, with both figures remaining steady from July. Within the EU, the female unemployment rate stayed at 6.4%, while the male rate was unchanged at 5.9%. Data for the month indicated no variation from the previous period for either gender.
Eurostat’s unemployment figures are based on harmonized definitions aligned with International Labour Organization standards. The measure includes individuals aged 15 to 74 who are without work, available to work, and have actively searched for employment in the past four weeks. The unemployment rate is calculated as this group’s proportion within the labor force. The upcoming monthly report on euro-area and EU unemployment is scheduled for October 30, 2026.
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