BRUSSELS / RankWire.AI / – Euro area unemployment maintained its rate at 6.4% in August 2026, remaining flat compared to July, according to Eurostat. The same measure was 6.3% in August 2025. Throughout the European Union, the unemployment rate persisted at 6.1% for a second consecutive month, up slightly from 6.0% a year earlier. Despite this stability in headline figures, the total number of unemployed individuals increased in both regions.
Eurostat indicated that 11.357 million people were jobless across the euro area in August. The broader EU saw 13.600 million unemployed individuals during the same month. Compared to July, the euro area’s unemployment rose by 26,000, while the EU’s total increased by 12,000. From August 2025, the number of unemployed persons went up by 267,000 in the euro zone and 348,000 across the entire 27-member European Union.
In August, unemployment rates at the national level continued to differ significantly within the bloc. Spain’s rate reached 10.0%, with Finland at 10.3% and Sweden at 8.7%. France’s rate was 8.2%, Italy’s 6.2%, and Germany’s 4.0%. At the lower end, Czechia reported an unemployment rate of 3.2%. Malta, Poland, and Slovenia each had rates of 3.4%, while Bulgaria’s stood at 3.5%.
Youth unemployment trends diverge in the euro area and EU
At the start of September, youth unemployment figures showed mixed patterns between the euro area and the wider EU. The unemployment rate for individuals under 25 in the euro zone dropped slightly to 15.0% from 15.1% in July. Conversely, the EU’s youth unemployment rate rose to 15.4% from 15.3%. The number of unemployed young people in the euro area reached 2.391 million, while across the EU, the total was 2.973 million.
From July, the number of unemployed youths in the euro area decreased by 9,000, whereas across the EU, it increased by 13,000 during the same period. Compared to August 2025, youth unemployment in the euro zone grew by 38,000, with the EU seeing an annual rise of 19,000. Youth unemployment rates continued to surpass overall unemployment levels within both regions.
Gender disparities in unemployment persist
August’s data also confirmed ongoing differences in unemployment rates between women and men. In the euro area, the rate for women remained at 6.7%, while men’s unemployment stood at 6.2%, with no change from July. Across the EU, unemployment was 6.4% for women and 5.9% for men, both figures unchanged from the previous month.
The unemployment statistics are based on harmonized definitions recommended by the International Labour Organization, including individuals aged 15 to 74 who are jobless, available for work, and actively seeking employment within the past four weeks. The unemployment rate reflects these individuals as a proportion of the total labor force. The upcoming monthly update for euro-area and EU unemployment is scheduled for October 30, 2026.