Malta records highest employment growth among EU states in last quarter of 2016

Malta recorded the highest employment growth from among EU states in the fourth quarter last year, increasing by 1.9%, Eurostat figures show

Eurostat estimated that, in the fourth quarter of 2016, 232.9 million men and women were employed in the EU28
Eurostat estimated that, in the fourth quarter of 2016, 232.9 million men and women were employed in the EU28

Malta recorded the highest employment growth from among EU states in the fourth quarter last year, increasing by 1.9%.

According to Eurostat figures, Malta was followed by Luxembourg and Cyprus which both saw employment growth of  0.9% during the period in question compared with the previous quarter.

On the other hand, decreases in employment were observed in Estonia (-1.5%), Greece (-0.9%), Lithuania (-0.2%) and Croatia (-0.1%). 

In general, the number of employed persons in the euro area increased by 0.3%, when compared with the previous quarter, while the figure for all 28 EU member states was only slightly lower, at 0.2%.

Eurostat estimated that, in the fourth quarter of 2016, 232.9 million men and women were employed in the EU28, translating to the highest level ever recorded. Of these 153.9 million were in the euro area, the highest level since the third quarter of 2008.

Over the whole year 2016, employment rose by 1.3% in the euro area and by 1.2% in the EU28, compared with +1% and +1.1% respectively in 2015.