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 held steady at 6.1% for the second consecutive month, compared to 6.0% a year earlier. The data indicated stable headline figures despite the rising number of unemployed individuals across both regions.
Eurostat reported that in August, the euro area had 11.357 million unemployed persons. Meanwhile, the broader EU recorded a total of 13.600 million unemployed individuals during the same month. Compared to July, unemployment increased by 26,000 in the euro area and by 12,000 across the EU. Since August 2025, the number of unemployed has risen by 267,000 in the euro area and by 348,000 within the 27-member European Union.
Unemployment rates at the national level continued to show significant disparities across the bloc in August. Spain’s rate was 10.0%, while Finland’s stood at 10.3% and Sweden’s at 8.7%. France’s rate was 8.2%, Italy’s 6.2%, and Germany’s 4.0%. Countries at the lower end included Czechia with 3.2%. Malta, Poland, and Slovenia each recorded 3.4%, and Bulgaria’s unemployment rate was at 3.5%.
Youth unemployment trends diverge
Youth unemployment figures showed mixed changes between the euro area and the wider EU. The euro-area youth unemployment rate for those under 25 declined slightly to 15.0% from 15.1% in July. Conversely, the EU youth unemployment rate rose to 15.4% from 15.3%. In total, about 2.391 million young people were unemployed in the euro area, while the EU’s total reached 2.973 million.
From July to August, the number of unemployed young people decreased by 9,000 in the euro area. During the same period, the total increased by 13,000 across the EU. Compared to August 2025, youth unemployment has grown by 38,000 in the euro area, and by 19,000 across the EU. The rates for youth unemployment remain higher than those for overall unemployment in both regions.
Higher unemployment persists among women
The August data continued to show a persistent gap between unemployment rates for women and men. In the euro area, the rate for women was 6.7%, compared to 6.2% for men, with both figures unchanged from July. Across the EU, unemployment was 6.4% for women and 5.9% for men, with no changes from the previous month.
These figures are based on harmonized definitions recommended by the International Labour Organization. They cover individuals aged 15 to 74 who are without a job, available to start work, and have actively sought employment in the previous four weeks. The unemployment rate reflects these individuals as a proportion of the labor force. The next monthly update for euro-area and EU unemployment rates is scheduled for October 30, 2026.