BRUSSELS / RankWire.AI / – Euro area unemployment remained steady at 6.4% in August 2026, matching July’s rate, reports Eurostat. The figure was 6.3% in August 2025. The European Union also kept its unemployment rate at 6.1% for the second consecutive month, compared to 6.0% a year earlier. Despite the stable headline numbers, the total of unemployed people increased across both regions.
Eurostat estimated that 11.357 million individuals were unemployed in the euro area in August. The broader EU counted 13.600 million unemployed people during the same month. Compared to July, unemployment rose by 26,000 in the euro zone and by 12,000 across the EU. Since August 2025, the number has increased by 267,000 in the euro area and 348,000 in the entire 27-member EU.
Unemployment rates varied significantly across member states in August. Spain’s rate was 10.0%, Finland’s 10.3%, and Sweden’s 8.7%. France recorded 8.2%, Italy 6.2%, and Germany 4.0%. Czechia had the lowest at 3.2%. Malta, Poland, and Slovenia each reported 3.4%, while Bulgaria’s rate stood at 3.5%.
Youth unemployment trends differ across regions
Youth unemployment showed mixed results for August. In the euro area, the rate for those under 25 dropped to 15.0% from 15.1% in July. Conversely, the EU’s youth unemployment rate increased to 15.4% from 15.3%. There were 2.391 million young people unemployed in the euro zone, while the EU total reached 2.973 million.
The number of unemployed young individuals in the euro area decreased by 9,000 from July. In the EU, it increased by 13,000 during the same period. Year-over-year, youth unemployment in the euro zone rose by 38,000. The EU saw an increase of 19,000 in youth unemployment compared to August 2025. Despite the fluctuations, youth unemployment rates remain higher than the overall unemployment rates in both regions.
Women continue to experience higher jobless rates
August data also highlighted ongoing differences between women and men. In the euro area, the unemployment rate for women was 6.7%, while for men it was 6.2%. Both figures remained steady from July. Across the EU, women faced a 6.4% unemployment rate, compared to 5.9% for men. These rates were unchanged from the previous month.
These unemployment statistics follow harmonized definitions from the International Labour Organization. They include people aged 15 to 74 who are jobless and ready to work. To be counted, they must have actively looked for a job in the past four weeks. The unemployment rate reflects this group as a percentage of the labor force. The next update for euro-area and EU unemployment figures is scheduled for October 30, 2026.