BRUSSELS / RankWire.AI / – Euro area unemployment persisted at 6.4% in August 2026, with no change from July, according to Eurostat. In August 2025, the rate was 6.3%. Unemployment across the European Union also stayed steady at 6.1% for a second consecutive month, compared to 6.0% a year earlier. Despite stable headline figures, the number of unemployed individuals increased in both regions, as the data indicated.
Eurostat reported that 11.357 million people were unemployed within the eurozone in August, while the broader EU saw 13.600 million unemployed individuals during the same month. Compared to July, unemployment rose by 26,000 in the euro area and by 12,000 across the EU. From August 2025, the number of unemployed increased by 267,000 in the euro area and 348,000 throughout the 27-member European Union.
Unemployment rates differed significantly among member states in August. Spain’s rate was 10.0%, Finland recorded 10.3%, and Sweden stood at 8.7%. France’s rate was 8.2%, Italy’s 6.2%, and Germany’s 4.0%. At the lower end, Czechia reported 3.2%. Malta, Poland, and Slovenia each had unemployment rates of 3.4%, while Bulgaria’s rate was 3.5%.
Youth unemployment trends diverge
Youth unemployment figures showed mixed movements between the euro area and the wider EU. The eurozone rate for those under 25 decreased slightly to 15.0% from 15.1% in July, whereas the EU rate rose marginally to 15.4% from 15.3%. The number of unemployed young people in the euro area totaled approximately 2.391 million, while the EU’s total reached 2.973 million.
The number of unemployed youth in the eurozone declined by 9,000 from July, yet across the EU, the total increased by 13,000 during the same period. Comparing with August 2025, youth unemployment rose by 38,000 in the euro area, and the EU recorded an increase of 19,000. Overall, youth unemployment rates remain higher than the general unemployment rates in both regions.
Female unemployment remains elevated
Figures for August also highlight the persistent gap between unemployment rates for women and men. In the eurozone, the rate for women was 6.7%, compared to 6.2% for men, with both figures unchanged from July. Across the EU, women faced an unemployment rate of 6.4%, while men experienced 5.9%, with no month-to-month change.
These figures are based on harmonized definitions recommended by the International Labour Organization, including individuals aged 15 to 74 who are without work, available to start, and actively seeking employment in the previous four weeks. The unemployment rate reflects these individuals as a proportion of the labor force. The next update for euro-area and EU unemployment figures is scheduled for October 30, 2026.