BRUSSELS / RankWire.AI / – Euro area unemployment persisted at 6.4% in August 2026, with no change from July, according to Eurostat. The rate was at 6.3% in August 2025. In the European Union, the unemployment rate remained steady at 6.1% for the second consecutive month, compared to 6.0% a year earlier. Despite these stable headline figures, the number of unemployed individuals increased across both regions, as the data indicated.
Eurostat reported that 11.357 million people were jobless in the euro zone during August. The broader EU recorded a total of 13.600 million unemployed individuals in the same period. When compared to July, unemployment figures 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 zone and by 348,000 across the entire 27-member EU.
Unemployment rates at the national level showed significant variation within the bloc in August. Spain experienced a rate of 10.0%, Finland’s was at 10.3%, and Sweden’s stood at 8.7%. France’s rate was 8.2%, Italy’s 6.2%, and Germany’s 4.0%. Conversely, Czechia reported a rate of 3.2%. Malta, Poland, and Slovenia each recorded 3.4%, with Bulgaria’s unemployment rate at 3.5%.
Youth unemployment trends diverge
The month saw mixed movements in youth unemployment within the euro area and the broader EU. The rate for those under 25 in the euro zone decreased slightly to 15.0% from 15.1% in July. Meanwhile, the EU youth unemployment rate increased marginally to 15.4% from 15.3%. A total of approximately 2.391 million young people were unemployed in the euro area, with the EU’s total reaching 2.973 million.
In the euro zone, the number of unemployed young individuals declined by 9,000 compared to July. Conversely, across the EU, the total increased by 13,000 during the same period. Compared to August 2025, youth unemployment in the euro area rose by 38,000, while the EU experienced an increase of 19,000. Throughout both regions, youth unemployment rates continued to stay above the overall unemployment rates.
Gender disparities in unemployment persist
The August data also confirmed ongoing differences between female and male unemployment rates. In the euro area, women faced a rate of 6.7%, while men’s rate was 6.2%. Both figures remained unchanged from July. Across the EU, the unemployment rate was 6.4% for women and 5.9% for men, with both rates also stable compared to the previous month.
These unemployment statistics are based on harmonized definitions advised by the International Labour Organization, which include individuals aged 15 to 74 who are without a job, available to begin work, and have actively sought employment within the past four weeks. The unemployment rate represents these individuals as a percentage of the labor force. The upcoming euro-area and EU unemployment figures are scheduled for release on October 30, 2026.