BRUSSELS / RankWire.AI / – Euro area unemployment held steady at 6.4% in August 2026, matching July’s figure, as reported by Eurostat. The rate was 6.3% in August 2025. Meanwhile, the European Union maintained a unemployment rate of 6.1% for the second consecutive month, compared to 6.0% a year earlier. Despite stable headline rates, both regions saw an increase in the number of unemployed individuals.
Eurostat reported that 11.357 million people were unemployed in the euro area during August. The broader EU had 13.600 million unemployed individuals for the same period. Compared to July, unemployment grew by 26,000 in the euro zone and by 12,000 across the EU. Year-over-year, the number rose by 267,000 in the euro area and by 348,000 across the 27-member EU.
Unemployment rates varied significantly among member states in August. Spain’s rate was 10.0%, Finland’s 10.3%, and Sweden’s 8.7%. France reported 8.2%, Italy 6.2%, and Germany 4.0%. At the lower end, Czechia’s rate was 3.2%. Malta, Poland, and Slovenia each recorded 3.4%, while Bulgaria’s rate stood at 3.5%.
Youth unemployment fluctuates across regions
Youth unemployment figures showed mixed trends. The euro area’s rate for those under 25 decreased slightly from 15.1% in July to 15.0%. Conversely, the EU’s youth unemployment rate edged up from 15.3% to 15.4%. The number of unemployed young people was 2.391 million in the euro zone, and 2.973 million across the EU.
In the euro area, youth unemployment declined by 9,000 from July. Meanwhile, across the EU, the total rose by 13,000 in the same period. Year-over-year, the euro area’s youth unemployment increased by 38,000, with the EU seeing a rise of 19,000. Rates for young people remained higher than overall unemployment levels in both regions.
Gender disparities persist in unemployment rates
August data also highlighted ongoing differences between female and male unemployment. In the euro area, the rate for women was 6.7%, compared to 6.2% for men, with no change from July. The EU showed 6.4% for women and 5.9% for men, also unchanged from the previous month.
These figures are based on harmonized definitions by the International Labour Organization. They include people aged 15 to 74 who are jobless, available for work, and have actively searched for employment within the last four weeks. The unemployment rate reflects these individuals as a proportion of the labor force. The upcoming euro-area and EU unemployment figures are scheduled for release on October 30, 2026.