BRUSSELS / RankWire.AI / – Euro area unemployment held steady at 6.4% in August 2026, consistent with the figure from July. According to Eurostat, the rate was 6.3% in August 2025. Within the European Union, the unemployment rate remained at 6.1% for a second month in a row. A year earlier, the EU rate was 6.0%, with recent data showing a slight uptick in unemployment figures.
In August, the eurozone was estimated to have 11.357 million unemployed individuals. This figure increased by 26,000 from July and by 267,000 compared to August 2025. Across the entire European Union, approximately 13.600 million people were unemployed during the same period. The EU total rose by 12,000 from July and by 348,000 compared to the previous year.
Unemployment rates varied significantly among EU countries in August. Finland recorded 10.3%, with Spain at 10.0% and Sweden at 8.7%. France’s unemployment rate stood at 8.2%, while Italy reported 6.2% and Germany 4.0%. Czechia’s rate was 3.2%, and Malta, Poland, and Slovenia each recorded 3.4%. Bulgaria followed at 3.5%.
Youth unemployment exhibits mixed monthly trends
The youth unemployment rate in the euro area for individuals under 25 slightly decreased to 15.0% from 15.1% in July. Meanwhile, the EU youth unemployment rate rose to 15.4% from 15.3% over the same timeframe. The eurozone had about 2.391 million unemployed young people, while the EU total reached 2.973 million.
The number of unemployed youth in the euro area decreased by 9,000 from July. Conversely, across the EU, the total increased by 13,000 during the month. Compared to August 2025, youth unemployment rose by 38,000 in the eurozone, and the EU experienced an annual increase of 19,000. Youth unemployment continues to be significantly higher than overall unemployment rates in both regions.
Higher jobless rates persist among women
In August, women continued to face higher unemployment rates than men. In the euro area, the rate for women was 6.7%, compared to 6.2% for men, with both rates remaining unchanged from July. Across the EU, women’s unemployment rate stayed at 6.4%, while men’s was at 5.9%. No changes in these rates from July were observed in the monthly data.
Eurostat calculates unemployment based on harmonized definitions aligned with International Labour Organization standards. The measure includes individuals aged 15 to 74 who are without work, available to work, and have actively sought employment in the past four weeks. The unemployment rate represents this group as a proportion of the labor force. The next update on euro-area and EU unemployment figures is scheduled for October 30, 2026.