4/2014 - 8 January 2014

November 2013

Euro area unemployment rate at 12.1%

EU28 at 10.9%
1

The euro area (EA17) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 12.1% in November 2013, stable since
4
1
4
April . The EU28 unemployment rate was 10.9%, stable since May . In both zones, the rates increased compared
with November 2012, when they were 11.8% and 10.8% respectively. These figures are published by Eurostat,
the statistical office of the European Union.
Eurostat estimates that 26.553 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 19.241 million were in the euro area,
were unemployed in November 2013. Compared with October 2013, the number of persons unemployed increased
by 19 000 in the EU28 and by 4 000 in the euro area. Compared with November 2012, unemployment rose by
278 000 in the EU28 and by 452 000 in the euro area.

Member States
Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria (4.8%), Germany (5.2%)
and Luxembourg (6.1%), and the highest in Greece (27.4% in September 2013) and Spain (26.7%).
Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate increased in fourteen Member States and fell in fourteen. The
highest increases were registered in Cyprus (13.3% to 17.3%), Italy (11.3% to 12.7%), Greece (26.0% to 27.4%
between September 2012 and September 2013) and the Netherlands (5.6% to 6.9%). The largest decreases were
observed in Ireland (14.3% to 12.3%), Latvia (14.0% to 12.0% between the third quarters of 2012 and 2013),
Lithuania (13.0% to 11.3%), Portugal (17.0% to 15.5%) and Hungary (11.0% to 9.5% between October 2012 and
October 2013).
In November 2013, the unemployment rate in the United States was 7.0%, down from 7.3% in October 2013 and
from 7.8% in November 2012.

Unemployment rates in November 2013, seasonally adjusted

30

26.7 27.4

25
20

17.3

% 15
10
5

4.8 5.2

7.3 7.4
6.1 6.4 6.9 6.9 6.9

12.9
12.0 12.1 12.3 12.7
10.8 10.9 11.3
10.2
9.9
9.5
8.0 8.4 8.4 9.0

14.0

18.6

15.5

* September 2013

** October 2013

*** Q3 2013

EL*

ES

HR

CY

PT

SK

BG

IT

IE

EA17

LV***

LT

EU28

FR

PL

SI

HU**

EE**

FI

BE

SE

UK*

RO

NL

DK

CZ

MT

LU

DE

AT

Youth unemployment
In November 2013, 5.661 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 3.575 million
were in the euro area. Compared with November 2012, youth unemployment decreased by 46 000 in the EU28
5
and increased by 2 000 in the euro area. In November 2013, the youth unemployment rate was 23.6% in the
EU28 and 24.2% in the euro area, compared with 23.4% and 23.9% respectively in November 2012. In November
2013, the lowest rates were observed in Germany (7.5%) and Austria (8.6%), and the highest in Spain (57.7%),
Greece (54.8% in September 2013) and Croatia (49.7% in the third quarter of 2013).
1. Up to 31 December 2013, the euro area (EA17) included Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy,
Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland. From 1 January 2014 the
euro area (EA18) also includes Latvia.
The EU28 includes Belgium (BE), Bulgaria (BG), the Czech Republic (CZ), Denmark (DK), Germany (DE), Estonia (EE),
Ireland (IE), Greece (EL), Spain (ES), France (FR), Croatia (HR), Italy (IT), Cyprus (CY), Latvia (LV), Lithuania (LT),
Luxembourg (LU), Hungary (HU), Malta (MT), the Netherlands (NL), Austria (AT), Poland (PL), Portugal (PT), Romania
(RO), Slovenia (SI), Slovakia (SK), Finland (FI), Sweden (SE) and the United Kingdom (UK).
As part of Eurostat's guidelines for the dissemination of data when the euro area is enlarged, the aggregate data series
commented on in this News Release refer to the official composition of the euro area in the most recent month for which
data is available. Thus News Releases with data for months up to December 2013 comment on EA17 series, while
Releases with data for January 2014 onwards will comment on EA18 series.
Eurostat's guidelines can be found on the Eurostat website:
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_PUBLIC/GUIDE_ENLARG_2007/EN/GUIDE_ENLARG_2007-EN.PDF
The tables also include Iceland (IS), Norway (NO) and the United States (US).
2. Non-seasonally adjusted and trend data can be found in the statistical database on the Eurostat website. For further details
please refer to the Unemployment statistics article in Statistics Explained:
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Unemployment_statistics
3. Eurostat produces harmonised unemployment rates for individual EU Member States, the euro area and the EU. These
unemployment rates are based on the definition recommended by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The
measurement is based on a harmonised source, the European Union Labour Force Survey (LFS).
Based on the ILO definition, Eurostat defines unemployed persons as persons aged 15 to 74 who:
- are without work;
- are available to start work within the next two weeks;
- and have actively sought employment at some time during the previous four weeks.
The unemployment rate is the number of people unemployed as a percentage of the labour force. The labour force is the
total number of people employed plus unemployed. In this news release unemployment rates are based on employment and
unemployment data covering persons aged 15 to 74.
4. The data in this News Release are normally subject to small revisions, caused by the updates to the seasonally adjusted
series whenever new monthly data are added. Larger revisions can occur when the most recent LFS data are included in the
calculation process. Compared with the rates published in News Release 179/2013 of 29 November 2013, the October 2013
unemployment rates remain unchanged at 12.1% for the EA17 and at 10.9% for the EU28. Among Member States, the rate
has been revised by between 0.2 and 0.4 percentage points for Bulgaria, Denmark, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland.
The rate has been revised downwards by 0.6 percentage points for Belgium and upwards by 0.8 percentage points for
Croatia.
5. The youth unemployment rate is the number of people aged 15 to 24 unemployed as a percentage of the labour force of the
same age. Therefore, the youth unemployment rate should not be interpreted as the share of jobless people in the overall
youth population. For further details please refer to the Youth unemployment article in Statistics Explained:
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Youth_unemployment
6. Latvia: quarterly data for all series.
Croatia, Cyprus, Romania and Slovenia: quarterly data for youth unemployment.
7. For Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland and Iceland the trend component is used instead of the more volatile
seasonally adjusted data.

Issued by: Eurostat Press Office

For further information on data:

Tim ALLEN
Tel: +352-4301-33 444
eurostat-pressoffice@ec.europa.eu

Nicola MASSARELLI
Tel: +352-4301-34 525
Hubertus VREESWIJK
Tel: +352-4301-34 323

Eurostat news releases on internet:

http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat

estat-monthly-unemployment@ec.europa.eu

Selected Principal European Economic Indicators: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/euroindicators

Euro area and EU28 unemployment rates

Seasonally adjusted series
12.5
Euro area (EA17)

EU28

11.5

10.5

9.5

8.5

7.5

6.5
I II III IV I II III IV I II III IV I II III IV I II III IV I II III IV I II III IV I II III IV I II III IV I II III IV I II III IV I II III IV I II III IV I II III IV
2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Seasonally adjusted unemployment, Totals

Nov 12
EA17
EA18
EU28
Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Denmark
7
Germany
Estonia
Ireland
Greece
Spain
France
Croatia
Italy
Cyprus
6
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Hungary
Malta
7
Netherlands
7
Austria
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovenia
Slovakia
7
Finland
Sweden
United Kingdom
7
Iceland
Norway
United States
Source: Eurostat

Aug 13

11.8
11.8
10.8
8.0
12.6
7.2
7.1
5.4
9.5**
14.3
26.0*
26.2
10.6
17.7
11.3
13.3
14.0***
13.0
5.2
11.0**
6.6
5.6
4.5
10.4
17.0
6.7
9.3
14.4
7.9
8.3
7.8*
5.6
3.3**
7.8
: Data not available

12.1
12.1
10.9
8.5
12.8
6.9
7.1
5.3
8.4
12.7
27.3
26.6
10.8
17.8
12.4
16.7
12.0
11.6
5.9
10.0
6.4
7.0
5.0
10.3
16.0
7.3
9.8
14.3
8.1
8.0
7.6
5.5
3.5
7.3

Rates (%)
Sep 13
12.1
12.1
10.9
8.4
12.8
7.0
6.9
5.2
8.8
12.6
27.4
26.6
10.9
17.9
12.5
17.0
12.0
11.4
6.0
10.0
6.5
7.0
4.9
10.2
15.8
7.3
9.6
14.3
8.2
8.0
7.4
5.5
3.4
7.2
* September 2012

Oct 13
12.1
12.1
10.9
8.4
12.9
6.8
7.0
5.2
9.0
12.5
:
26.7
10.8
18.4
12.5
17.3
:
11.1
6.0
9.5
6.5
7.0
4.8
10.2
15.6
7.3
9.7
14.2
8.3
7.9
:
5.5
3.3
7.3

Nov 13
12.1
12.1
10.9
8.4
12.9
6.9
6.9
5.2
:
12.3
:
26.7
10.8
18.6
12.7
17.3
:
11.3
6.1
:
6.4
6.9
4.8
10.2
15.5
7.3
9.9
14.0
8.4
8.0
:
5.4
:
7.0

** October 2012

Nov 12
18 789
18 937
26 275
394
422
381
208
2 291
66**
307
1 299*
6 008
3 127
297
2 903
59
147***
191
13
478**
12
500
197
1 797
915
669
94
389
212
424
2 478*
10
84**
12 005
*** Q3 2012

Number of persons (in thousands)

Aug 13
Sep 13
Oct 13
19 252
19 375
26 639
421
429
366
207
2 245
58
274
1 362
6 027
3 193
297
3 167
75
122
168
15
441
12
629
218
1 777
851
733
99
388
217
408
2 438
10
96
11 374

19 301
19 423
26 625
419
431
369
199
2 234
61
272
1 376
6 034
3 226
299
3 189
76
122
166
15
441
12
630
216
1 776
837
733
97
387
219
410
2 377
10
93
11 254

19 237
19 354
26 534
416
434
362
201
2 220
62
269
:
6 038
3 183
302
3 196
78
:
164
15
420
13
631
210
1 778
830
736
98
381
221
407
:
10
90
11 309

Nov 13
19 241
19 357
26 553
416
436
365
200
2 204
:
266
:
6 014
3 193
302
3 254
78
:
168
15
:
12
621
209
1 777
824
740
100
375
223
411
:
10:
:
10 860

Seasonally adjusted youth (under 25s) unemployment

Nov 12
EA17
EA18
EU28
Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Denmark
7
Germany
Estonia
Ireland
Greece
Spain
France
6
Croatia
Italy
6
Cyprus
6
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Hungary
Malta
7
Netherlands
7
Austria
Poland
Portugal
6
Romania
6
Slovenia
Slovakia
7
Finland
Sweden
United Kingdom
7
Iceland
Norway
Source: Eurostat
: Data not available

23.9
23.9
23.4
21.7
28.5
19.3
13.4
8.0
19.2
29.0
58.4
54.9
26.3
49.6
37.6
32.5
24.5
24.7
18.4
28.3
14.2
9.7
8.5
27.5
38.7
22.2
23.0
35.4
19.4
24.3
20.6
11.6
9.6

Aug 13
23.9
23.9
23.5
23.0
28.3
19.2
13.7
7.8
15.2
26.0
57.7
56.7
24.9
49.7
40.2
40.0
24.7
21.5
19.2
26.8
13.4
11.4
8.9
27.2
36.4
23.3
20.6
33.2
19.9
23.5
20.8
11.0
9.4

Rates (%)
Sep 13
24.1
24.1
23.5
23.0
27.8
18.9
12.8
7.7
16.8
25.4
54.8
56.8
25.3
49.7
40.6
40.0
24.7
21.7
19.6
26.3
13.4
11.7
9.2
27.6
36.1
23.3
20.6
33.1
19.8
22.7
20.5
10.9
8.8

Oct 13
24.2
24.2
23.5
22.7
28.3
18.8
13.0
7.6
17.3
25.1
:
57.4
25.3
:
41.4
:
:
22.2
19.9
24.7
13.7
11.6
9.1
27.8
36.5
:
:
33.4
19.7
21.5
:
10.6
8.2

Nov 13
24.2
24.3
23.6
22.8
28.5
19.1
12.5
7.5
:
24.8
:
57.7
25.6
:
41.6
:
:
22.9
19.9
:
13.7
11.4
8.6
27.9
36.8
:
:
33.3
19.6
24.1
:
10.4
:

Nov 12
3 573
3 597
5 707
92
70
71
60
363
13
63
182
945
752
78
636
14
24
31
3
88
4
138
51
427
158
181
17
78
65
155
951
4
37

Number of persons (in thousands)

Aug 13
Sep 13
Oct 13
3 514
3 537
5 599
96
63
68
60
352
10
55
171
939
694
73
663
17
23
27
3
84
4
162
51
405
145
187
15
72
65
157
938
4
36

3 549
3 573
5 616
96
62
68
56
347
11
54
172
956
717
73
654
17
23
28
3
82
4
167
53
410
146
187
15
70
65
150
927
4
34

3 569
3 593
5 633
95
63
66
57
341
12
53
:
973
718
:
662
:
:
30
3
76
4
166
53
413
149
:
:
69
65
146
:
3
31

Nov 13
3 575
3 599
5 661
95
63
68
55
335
:
52
:
983
729
:
659
:
:
32
3
:
4
163
49
414
150
:
:
68
65
163
:
3
:

Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates (%), by gender

Nov 12
EA17
EA18
EU28
Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Denmark
7
Germany
Estonia
Ireland
Greece
Spain
France
Croatia
Italy
Cyprus
6
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Hungary
Malta
7
Netherlands
7
Austria
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovenia
Slovakia
7
Finland
Sweden
United Kingdom
7
Iceland
Norway
Source: Eurostat
: Data not available

11.6
11.7
10.7
8.5
13.6
6.2
7.1
5.6
10.4
17.0
23.3
25.7
10.5
17.6
10.5
13.6
15.9
14.6
4.7
11.2
6.4
5.8
4.9
9.7
16.9
7.0
9.0
14.0
8.6
8.4
8.1
6.1
3.8

Aug 13
12.1
12.1
10.9
8.7
13.6
5.7
7.3
5.6
9.2
14.8
24.3
26.2
10.8
18.7
11.9
17.4
12.7
12.3
5.3
10.1
6.5
7.4
5.1
9.6
15.9
7.9
8.7
14.1
8.7
8.1
7.9
6.1
3.7

Males
Sep 13
12.1
12.1
10.9
8.7
13.5
5.9
6.6
5.6
9.4
14.6
24.5
26.2
10.9
18.8
12.0
17.7
12.7
12.2
5.4
10.1
6.6
7.3
4.8
9.6
15.6
7.9
8.5
14.1
8.8
7.7
7.7
6.0
3.6

Oct 13
12.1
12.1
10.9
8.7
13.6
5.7
6.3
5.5
9.6
14.4
:
26.3
10.8
19.1
12.0
18.1
:
12.5
5.4
9.6
6.8
7.3
4.6
9.6
15.5
7.9
8.6
14.0
8.9
8.0
:
6.0
3.4

Nov 13
12.1
12.1
10.9
8.7
13.5
5.8
6.1
5.5
:
14.2
:
26.3
10.9
19.4
12.4
18.0
:
12.9
5.5
:
6.6
7.3
4.6
9.6
15.4
7.9
8.7
13.9
8.9
8.3
:
5.9
:

Nov 12
12.0
12.0
10.9
7.5
11.5
8.5
7.2
5.1
9.0
11.0
30.2
26.8
10.8
17.8
12.5
12.9
12.6
11.4
5.9
10.7
7.0
5.4
4.1
11.2
17.2
6.3
9.7
14.9
7.2
8.3
7.3
5.1
3.2

Aug 13
12.1
12.1
10.9
8.2
11.8
8.4
6.9
4.9
7.7
10.1
31.3
27.0
10.9
16.8
13.0
15.9
11.3
10.8
6.6
10.0
6.1
6.6
4.9
11.0
16.2
6.6
11.1
14.6
7.5
7.9
7.2
4.9
3.4

Females
Sep 13
12.2
12.2
10.9
8.1
11.9
8.3
7.2
4.8
8.2
10.1
31.4
27.0
10.9
17.0
13.2
16.2
11.3
10.6
6.7
9.9
6.2
6.6
5.0
11.0
15.9
6.6
10.9
14.5
7.6
8.3
6.9
4.9
3.3

Oct 13
12.1
12.1
10.9
8.0
12.1
8.3
7.7
4.8
8.4
10.1
:
27.1
10.8
17.6
13.2
16.4
:
9.7
6.7
9.5
6.1
6.7
5.1
11.0
15.8
6.5
11.0
14.4
7.7
7.8
:
4.9
3.2

Nov 13
12.1
12.1
10.9
8.0
12.2
8.3
7.8
4.8
:
10.0
:
27.1
10.7
17.7
13.2
16.6
:
9.7
6.7
:
5.9
6.5
5.0
11.1
15.6
6.5
11.2
14.1
7.7
7.7
:
5.0
: