Estonia's jobless rate lower than European average

TALLINN – The unemployment rate of Estonia continues to be lower than the average for the eurozone and the European Union (EU 28), a comparison of data published by Eurostat on Monday shows.

The report brings data for Estonia for July, according to which the rate of unemployment was 5.3 percent, on a par with Luxembourg and Slovenia.

Among the EU member states, the lowest unemployment rates in August 2018 were recorded in the Czech Republic,2.5 percent, and Germany and Poland, both 3.4 percent. The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece, 19.1 percent in June 2018, and Spain, 15.2 percent.

The unemployment rate for Lithuania was 6.2 percent and for Latvia 7.4 percent.

The EU28 unemployment rate was 6.8 percent in August 2018, stable compared with July 2018 and down from 7.5 percent in August 2017. The euro area seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 8.1 percent in August 2018, down from 8.2 percent in July 2018 and from 9.0 percent in August 2017. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since November 2008.

The youth unemployment was 12.7 percent in Estonia in July, and 8.4 percent in Latvia and 12.2 percent in Lithuania in August.

In August 2018, the youth unemployment rate was 14.8 percent in the EU28 and 16.6 percent in the euro area. The lowest rates were observed in Germany, 6.2 percent, the Czech Republic, 6.3 percent, and the Netherlands, 7.7 percent, while the highest rates were recorded in Greece, 39.1 percent in June 2018, Spain, 33.6 percent, and Italy, 31.0 percent.