Year-on-year drop in jobless rate in September was 4th-largest in EU
The largest year-on-year decline in unemployment was in Cyprus (to 7.4% from 10.2%), Croatia (to 8.2% from 10.5%), Greece (to 19.0% in July, from 20.9%) and Portugal (to 6.6% from 8.5%).
Portugal had the fourth-largest year-on-year drop in unemployment rate in the European Union in September, as the rate for the euro zone and EU as a whole dropped, according to Eurostat, the Union’s statistical arm.
In the euro area, the jobless rate was 8.1%, unchanged from August but down from 8.9% in September 2017. In the EU as a whole, unemployment was at 6.9%, also unchanged in August and down from 7.5% in September last year.
In 27 member states the jobless rate was down on the year in September; only in Estonia was it up.
The largest year-on-year decline in unemployment was in Cyprus (to 7.4% from 10.2%), Croatia (to 8.2% from 10.5%), Greece (to 19.0% in July, from 20.9% in September 2017) and Portugal (to 6.6% from 8.5%).
The lowest unemployment rates in September were recorded in the Czech Republic (2.3%), Germany and Poland (both 3.4%); the highest were in Greece (19.0% in July) and Spain (14.9%).
In Portugal, the unemployment rate had risen in August, to 6.9% from 6.8% in July, but was down on a year earlier.
LUSA