Poland, Hungary, Romania, post lowest January 2020 unemployment rates in EU

The EU27 unemployment rate was 6.6% in January 2020, stable compared with December 2019 and down from 6.9% in January 2019, show data released by the Eurostat European statistics office on Tuesday.

This is the lowest rate recorded in the EU27 since the start of the EU monthly unemployment series in January 2000.

Among the member states, the lowest unemployment rates in January 2020 were recorded in Czechia (2.0%), Poland (2.9%), the Netherlands (3.0%), Germany (3.2%), Hungary and Malta (both with 3.4%) and Romania (3.9%). The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (16.5% in November 2019) and Spain (13.7%).

The euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 7.4% in January 2020, stable compared with December 2019 and down from 7.8% in January 2019. This remains the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since May 2008.

Eurostat estimates that 14.086 million men and women in the EU27, of whom 12.179 million in the euro area, were unemployed in January 2020. Compared with December 2019, the number of persons unemployed increased by 16 000 in the EU27 and by 1 000 in the euro area. Compared with January 2019, unemployment fell by 746 000 in the EU27 and by 593 000 in the euro area.

In January 2020, 2.719 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU27, of whom 2.249 million were in the euro area. Compared with January 2019, youth unemployment decreased by 110 000 in the EU27 and by 75 000 in the euro area. In January 2020, the youth unemployment rate was 14.9% in the EU27 and 15.6% in the euro area, compared with 15.5% and 16.1% respectively in January 2019.

In January 2020, the lowest rates were observed in Czechia (5.3%), Germany (5.6%) and the Netherlands (6.4%), while the highest were recorded in Greece (36.1% in November 2019), Spain (30.6%) and Italy (29.3%).