Malta retains fourth lowest unemployment rate – Eurozone

At 5.8%, Malta has retained its fourth lowest unemployment rate out of the 28 member states of the European Union.

According to data released by Eurostat for December 2014, the lowest unemployment rates were registered in Germany (4.8%) and Austria (4.9%). The highest were recorded in Greece (25.8% in October 2014) and Spain (23.7%).

The euro area (EA18) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 11.4% in December 2014, down from 11.5% in November 2014, and from 11.8% in December 2013. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since August 2012. The EU28 unemployment rate was 9.9% in December 2014, down from 10.0% in November 2014 and from 10.6% in December 2013. This is the first time the rate for the EU28 has fallen below 10.0% since October 2011. These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

Eurostat estimates that 24.056 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 18.129 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in December 2014. Compared with November 2014, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 228 000 in the EU28 and by 157 000 in the euro area. Compared with December 2013, unemployment fell by 1.710 million in the EU28 and by 693 000 in the euro area.

Member States

Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates in December 2014 were recorded in Germany (4.8%) and Austria (4.9%), and the highest in Greece (25.8% in October 2014) and Spain (23.7%).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in December 2014 fell in twenty-four Member States, remained stable in Belgium and increased in Finland (8.3% to 8.9%), Italy (12.6% to 12.9%) and France (10.2% to 10.3%). The largest decreases were registered in Estonia (9.0% to 6.6% between November 2013 and November 2014), Bulgaria (12.8% to 10.8%), Greece (27.8% to 25.8% between October 2013 and October 2014), Hungary (9.3% to 7.3% between November 2013 and November 2014) and Poland (10.0% to 8.0%).

In December 2014, the unemployment rate in the United States was 5.6%, down from 5.8% in November 2014, and from 6.7% in December 2013.