Malta with lowest youth unemployment rate in EU28

Malta was among the European Union member states registering the lowest rates of unemployment in May, data released by the EU’s statistical office shows.

According to Eurostat, the lowest unemployment rates in May 2016 were recorded in the Czech Republic (4.0%), Malta (4.1%) and Germany (4.2%). The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (24.1% in March 2016) and Spain (19.8%).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in May 2016 fell in twenty-six Member States, remained stable in Latvia and increased in Austria (from 5.9% to 6.1%). The largest decreases were registered in Cyprus (from 15.3% to 12.0%), Croatia (from 16.2% to 13.3%), Bulgaria (from 10.0% to 7.3%) and Spain (from 22.5% to 19.8%).

In May 2016, 4.197 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 2.885 million were in the euro area. Compared with May 2015, youth unemployment decreased by 503 000 in the EU28 and by 270 000 in the euro area.

The youth unemployment rate was 18.6% in the EU28 and 20.7% in the euro area, compared with 20.6% and 22.4% respectively in May 2015. The lowest rates were observed in Malta (6.9%), Germany (7.2%) and the Czech Republic (10.1%), and the highest in Greece (50.4% in March 2016), Spain (43.9%), Italy (36.9%) and Croatia (31.4% in the first quarter 2016).

In May 2016, the unemployment rate in the United States was 4.7%, down from 5.0% in April 2016 and from 5.5% in May 2015.