According to Eurostat, 18.446 million people were unemployed in the European Union in September 2017 (7.5% of the labor force), including 14.513 million within the eurozone (8.9%).
Compared to September 2016, unemployment decreased by 2.076 million people in the EU28 and by 1.463 million in the eurozone. In September 2016, it fell below the symbolic threshold of 10% in the region, a first since April 2011.
While the Czech Republic has an unemployment rate of 2.7%, Germany 3.6%, and Malta 4.1%, it peaks in Greece (21%) and Spain (16.7%).
France ranks as the 6th most affected state by unemployment (9.7%), placing just ahead of Finland (8.7%).
Since September 2016, twenty-six member states have seen their unemployment decrease, with only Finland, where unemployment stagnated, and Lithuania, where it increased from 7.6% to 7.7%, being exceptions. The most significant decreases were in Cyprus (from 13% to 10.3%) and Spain (from 19.1% to 16.7%).
The peak of unemployment was reached at the beginning of 2013, with a rate climbing to 11% (12% for the eurozone). Since then, it has steadily declined.
