Unemployment in Bulgaria in February 2018 was 5.3 per cent, another record low and down from 6.5 per cent in February 2017, European Union statistics agency Eurostat said on April 4.
Bulgaria’s unemployment rate was also below the EU average for February 2018, which was 7.1 per cent, in turn the lowest rate recorded in the bloc’s 28 member states since September 2008. Unemployment in the EU was down from 7.2 per cent in January 2018 and from eight per cent in February 2017, Eurostat said.
The February 2018 unemployment rate in Bulgaria represented about 183 000 people. In February 2017, the number was 216 000.
Youth unemployment in Bulgaria in February 2018 was 10.8 per cent (about 18 000 people under 25), down from 13.2 per cent in February 2017 (about 21 000 young people).
Eurostat said that the euro zone (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 8.5 per cent in February 2018, down from 8.6 per cent in January 2018 and from 9.5 per cent in February 2017. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since December 2008.
Eurostat estimates that 17.632 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 13.916 million in the euro area, were unemployed in February 2018.
Compared with January 2018, the number of people unemployed decreased by 201 000 in the EU28 and by 141 000 in the euro area. Compared with February 2017, unemployment fell by 1.968 million in the EU28 and by 1.436 million in the euro area.
Among the member states, the lowest unemployment rates in February 2018 were in the Czech Republic (2.4 per cent), Germany and Malta (both 3.5 per cent) as well as Hungary (3.7 per cent in January 2018).
The highest unemployment rates were in Greece (20.8 per cent in December 2017) and Spain (16.1 per cent).
Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate fell in all EU countries except Estonia where it increased (from 5.8 per cent to 6.5 per cent between January 2017 and January 2018).
The largest decreases were in Cyprus (from 12.6 per cent to 9.6 per cent), Greece (from 23.4 per cent to 20.8 per cent between December 2016 and December 2017) and Croatia (from 12 per cent to 9.6 per cent).
In February 2018, 3.589 million young people (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 2.520 million were in the euro area. Compared with February 2017, youth unemployment decreased by 314 000 in the EU28 and by 213 000 in the euro area.
In February 2018, the youth unemployment rate was 15.9 per cent in the EU28 and 17.7 per cent in the euro area, compared with 17.3 per cent and 19.4 per cent respectively in February 2017.
In February 2018, the lowest rates were observed in Germany (6.2 per cent), the Netherlands (7.2 per cent) and the Czech Republic (7.5 per cent), while the highest were recorded in Greece (45 per cent in December 2017), Spain (35.5 per cent) and Italy (32.8 per cent), Eurostat said…. / IBNA
Source: http://www.balkaneu.com/
