BRUSSELS / RankWire.AI / – Euro area unemployment persisted at 6.4% in August 2026, with no change from July, according to Eurostat. In the same month last year, the rate was 6.3%. Within the European Union, the unemployment rate remained steady at 6.1% for a second consecutive month, compared to 6.0% in August 2025. These stable headline figures occurred even as the number of unemployed individuals increased across both regions.
Eurostat reported that 11.357 million people were unemployed in the euro area during August. Meanwhile, the broader EU recorded a total of 13.600 million unemployed individuals for the same period. Compared to July, unemployment in the eurozone rose by 26,000, while across the EU, it increased by 12,000. Since August 2025, the number of unemployed persons has risen by 267,000 in the euro area and by 348,000 within the 27-member European Union.
Unemployment rates across member states continued to vary significantly in August. Spain reported a rate of 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%. Conversely, Czechia registered 3.2%. Malta, Poland, and Slovenia each reported 3.4%, while Bulgaria’s unemployment rate was 3.5%.
Youth unemployment shows divergent trends
The youth unemployment rate displayed a mixed pattern between the euro area and the wider EU in the past month. For individuals under 25, the euro-area rate decreased slightly from 15.1% in July to 15.0%. At the same time, the EU youth unemployment rate rose from 15.3% to 15.4%. In total, approximately 2.391 million young people were unemployed in the eurozone, while the EU’s total reached 2.973 million.
Compared to July, the number of unemployed young individuals in the euro area decreased by 9,000. In contrast, across the EU, the total increased by 13,000 within the same period. When measured against August 2025, youth unemployment in the euro area grew by 38,000, and the EU experienced a rise of 19,000. Rates among young people remain above the overall unemployment figures for both the euro area and the EU.
Gender disparities in unemployment persist
The latest figures from August continue to show a persistent gap between unemployment rates for women and men. In the eurozone, the rate for women was 6.7%, compared to 6.2% for men. Both figures were unchanged from July. Across the EU, unemployment stood at 6.4% for women and 5.9% for men, with no change from the previous month.
These unemployment figures are based on harmonized definitions advised by the International Labour Organization. The measure includes individuals aged 15 to 74 who are jobless, available to work, and have actively sought employment during the past four weeks. The unemployment rate is calculated as a proportion of the labor force. The upcoming monthly update for euro-area and EU unemployment statistics is scheduled for October 30, 2026.