BRUSSELS / RankWire.AI / – Euro area unemployment persisted at 6.4% in August 2026, the same as in July. According to Eurostat, the rate was 6.3% in August 2025. Throughout the European Union, unemployment remained steady at 6.1% for the second month in a row. The EU figure had been at 6.0% a year earlier, with recent data indicating a slight increase in the number of unemployed individuals.
In August, the euro area had an estimated 11.357 million unemployed persons. This figure grew by 26,000 from July and by 267,000 compared to August 2025. In 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 same month last year.
Unemployment rates varied significantly across individual EU nations in August. Finland registered a rate of 10.3%, Spain reported 10.0%, and Sweden’s was 8.7%. France’s unemployment rate stood at 8.2%, whereas Italy was at 6.2%, and Germany at 4.0%. Czechia’s rate was 3.2%, while Malta, Poland, and Slovenia each recorded 3.4%. Bulgaria followed with 3.5%.
Youth Unemployment Exhibits Varied Monthly Trends
Youth unemployment experienced mixed changes across the euro area and broader European Union. The euro-area rate for those under 25 decreased slightly to 15.0% from 15.1% in July. Conversely, the EU youth unemployment rate increased to 15.4% from 15.3% during the same period. In total, about 2.391 million young people were unemployed in the euro area, with the EU total reaching 2.973 million.
The number of unemployed youth in the euro zone dropped by 9,000 compared to July, while the EU saw an increase of 13,000 in the same period. Year-over-year, youth unemployment rose by 38,000 in the euro area, and the EU saw an annual increase of 19,000. Despite these shifts, youth unemployment remains considerably higher than the overall unemployment rate in both regions.
Higher Jobless Rates Persist Among Women
In August, women continued to experience higher unemployment rates than men. The euro area recorded a rate of 6.7% for women, compared to 6.2% for men, with both figures remaining unchanged from July. Within the European Union, the unemployment rate for women stayed at 6.4%, while that for men was steady at 5.9%. Monthly figures showed no variation from the previous month for either gender.
Eurostat’s unemployment figures are based on harmonized standards aligned with International Labour Organization guidelines. They include individuals aged 15 to 74 who are without employment, available for work, and have actively sought employment within the past four weeks. The unemployment rate reflects this group’s proportion within the labor force. The upcoming monthly update on euro-area and EU unemployment statistics is scheduled for October 30, 2026.