The real scale of unemployment in Europe may be almost twice as high as the official figure — up to 26.8 million people. These figures are based on statistics that take into account so-called “hidden unemployment,” according to Euronews, citing Eurostat data.
According to official data, there are about 13.3 million officially unemployed people in the European Union. However, if we include those who are not actively looking for work, those who want to work more hours, or those who are looking but cannot start immediately, the increase in the number of unemployed reaches 26.8 million.
In terms of European statistics, this is called the labor market slack/underemployment/mismatch. In the second quarter of 2025, the underutilization of labor resources amounted to 11.7% of the expanded labor force (according to the original publication).
Countries with the highest levels of “hidden unemployment”:
• Turkey — 25.8%
• Finland — 19.5%
• Sweden — 18.8%
• Spain — 18.6%
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 17.1%
• Italy — 15.4%
Countries with low levels of “hidden unemployment” include Poland (~5.1%), Slovenia, Malta, and Bulgaria (all below 6%).
Unemployment in the eurozone stood at 6.2% in June, according to the European Union’s statistical office. In May, according to the revised data, it was also at 6.2%, not 6.3%, as previously reported. Analysts on average expected unemployment to remain at the previously announced May level, according to Trading Economics.
For comparison, in June 2024, the unemployment rate was 6.4%.
Unemployment was at a record low of 6.2% in October and November 2024, then rose, and in April fell again to the lowest level on record.
In June, the number of unemployed in the euro area decreased by 62 thousand compared to the previous month, to 10.7 million people.
The share of unemployed youth (population under 25) fell to 14.1% from 14.3%.
The lowest unemployment rate among the largest eurozone countries was recorded in Germany (3.7%), and the highest in Spain (10.4%).
In the European Union, unemployment remained at 5.9% in June. In the same month of 2024, it was 6%.
Unemployment in Spain fell in the second quarter to its lowest level since 2008. According to the Spanish statistics agency INE, unemployment in the country fell to 10.29% in April-June, compared with 11.36% in the previous quarter. Analysts polled by Trading Economics had expected a more moderate decline to 10.7%.
The number of unemployed fell by 236,100 to 2.55 million. At the same time, the number of employed increased by 505,500 to 20.27 million.
Source: http://relocation.com.ua/riven-bezrobittia-v-ispanii-znyzyvsia-do-minimumu-z-2008-roku/
In January 2025, the unemployment rate in Austria rose to 8.6%, which is higher than in December (8.3%) and significantly higher than in November 2024 (7.1%). The growth in the number of unemployed has been recorded for the third month in a row.
Source: https://t.me/relocationrs
The number of unemployed in Germany in January 2025 reached almost three million, which was a record for the last decade.
This is reported by DW with reference to the Federal Employment Agency.
According to official data, the unemployment rate in Germany increased by 0.4 points since December 2024 and reached 6.4%. This means that the number of unemployed in the country increased by almost 200 thousand more compared to the previous year and reached 2.993 million. The sharp rise in unemployment in January is typical, as many seasonal labor contracts end with the New Year and weather-dependent work, such as in construction, comes to a halt.
At the same time, German employers see the data released by the Federal Employment Agency as a worrying signal.
According to Rainer Dulger, president of the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations of Germany, “the economic and structural weakness of the German economy is hitting the labor market with all its might.”
Unemployment in the euro zone in December last year amounted to 6.3% compared to the all-time low of 6.2% a month earlier, the statistical office of the European Union said. Analysts had also expected 6.3%, according to Trading Economics. The November level, meanwhile, was revised up from 6.3%. By comparison, unemployment was 6.5% in December 2023.
The number of unemployed in the region rose by 96,000 in December from the previous month to a three-month high of 10.83 million.
The unemployment rate among young people (population under 25) fell to 14.8% from 14.9%.
The lowest unemployment rate among the largest eurozone countries was recorded in Germany (3.4%, the same as a month earlier), the highest – in Spain (10.6% vs. 10.7% in November). In France, unemployment in December increased by 0.1 percentage points and reached 7.8%, in Italy – increased by 0.3 p.p. to 6.2%.
In the European Union as a whole, unemployment stood at 5.9% last month, up from 5.8% in November. It stood at 6% in December 2023.
Earlier, the Experts Club think tank and Maxim Urakin released a video analysis on the state of the economy and debt in the world, see more on the YouTube channel:
