In November 2018 the European Union's unemployment rate remained at 6.7 percent, its lowest level since January 2000. Meanwhile, Croatia posted a 7.8 percent rate, recording the largest year-on-year decrease in unemployment, data released by Eurostat revealed.

The EU28 seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in November 2018, unchanged from October, and down from 7.3 percent year-on-year. In the euro zone (EA19) the rate was higher, at 7.9 percent in November, down from 8.0 percent in October and from 8.7 percent in November 2017. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro zone since October 2008, Eurostat said.

Eurostat estimated that a total of 16.491 million people in the EU28, including 13.040 million in the euro zone, were unemployed in November 2018. Month-on-month, the number of persons unemployed dropped by 107,000 in the EU28 and by 90,000 in the euro zone. Compared with November 2017, unemployment fell by 1.489 million in the EU28 and by 1.135 million in the euro zone.

By countries, the lowest unemployment rates in November 2018 were recorded in the Czech Republic (1.9 percent), Germany (3.3 percent) and the Netherlands (3.5 percent). On the other hand, the highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (18.6 percent in September 2018) and Spain (14.7 percent).

In Croatia, the unemployment rate in November 2018 was 7.8 percent, inching down by 0.2 percentage points from October and by 2.2 percentage points from November 2017.

Year-on-year, the largest decreases were registered in Croatia (from 10.0 to 7.8 percent), Greece (from 20.8 to 18.6 percent between September 2017 and September 2018) and Spain (from 16.5 to 14.7 percent), Eurostat said.

EU youth unemployment rate inches down to 15.2 pct

In terms of youth unemployment, some 3.444 million young persons under the age of 25 were unemployed in the EU28, including 2.452 million in the euro zone. Year-on-year, youth unemployment decreased by 189,000 in the EU28 and by 90,000 in the euro zone.

In November 2018, the youth unemployment rate was 15.2 percent in the EU28 and 16.9 percent in the euro zone, compared with 16.1 and 17.8 percent respectively in November 2017.

By country, the lowest rates in November 2018 were observed in the Czech Republic (4.9 percent), Germany (6.1 percent) and the Netherlands (6.9 percent), while the highest were recorded in Greece (36.6 percent in September 2018), Spain (34.1 percent) and Italy (31.6 percent).

Croatia, along with Belgium, Cyprus, Romania, and Slovenia, data on youth unemployment on the quarterly level only. In the Q3 2018, youth unemployment rate in Croatia was at 23.9 percent, with 35,000 people under 25 years of age out of work.

Follow N1 via mobile apps for Android | iPhone/iPad | Windows| and social media on Twitter | Facebook.