The unemployment rate in the European Union as well as in the euro area fell in December and in Croatia it decreased to seven percent from 7.1% in November and 8.66% in December 2020, according to figures published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, on Tuesday.

“In December 2021, the euro area seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 7.0%, down from 7.1% in November 2021 and from 8.2% in December 2020. The EU unemployment rate was 6.4% in December 2021, down from 6.5% in November 2021 and from 7.5% in December 2020.”

Eurostat estimates that “13.612 million men and women in the EU, of whom 11.481 million in the euro area, were unemployed in December 2021. Compared with November 2021, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 210 000 in the EU and by 185 000 in the euro area. Compared with December 2020, unemployment decreased by 2.196 million in the EU and by 1.828 million in the euro area.”

Only Spain and Greece with double-digit jobless rates

Of the 27 member states, only Spain and Greece had double-digit unemployment rates: 13% and 12.7% respectively at the end of December.

The lowest rate was in Czechia, 2.1%, followed by Poland, 2.9%, and Germany, 3.2%.

In Croatia, there were 124,000 people out if work at the end of December, or 3,000 fewer compared to November 2021, and 31,000 fewer than in December 2020.