BRUSSELS / RankWire.AI / – Euro area unemployment persisted at 6.4% in August 2026, showing no change from July, as reported by Eurostat. The same rate was 6.3% in August 2025. Meanwhile, across the European Union, the unemployment rate held steady at 6.1% for the second consecutive month, compared to 6.0% a year earlier. Despite these steady headline figures, the data indicated an increase in the number of unemployed individuals across both regions.
Eurostat estimated that in August, the euro area was home to 11.357 million unemployed people, while the broader EU recorded a total of 13.600 million unemployed individuals for the same period. When compared to July, unemployment rose by 26,000 people within the euro area and by 12,000 across the EU. From August 2025 onward, the number of unemployed persons increased by 267,000 in the euro area and by 348,000 across the 27-member European Union.
In August, national unemployment rates continued to show significant variation throughout the bloc, with Spain at 10.0%, 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 3.2%. Malta, Poland, and Slovenia each registered a rate of 3.4%, with Bulgaria’s unemployment rate at 3.5%.
Youth unemployment exhibits mixed trends
The monthly changes in youth unemployment presented a mixed picture between the euro area and the broader EU, with the euro-area rate for those under 25 decreasing slightly to 15.0% from 15.1% in July. Conversely, the EU youth unemployment rate edged up to 15.4% from 15.3%. Approximately 2.391 million young people were unemployed within the euro area, while the EU total reached 2.973 million.
Compared to July, the number of unemployed youth in the euro area declined by 9,000, whereas the total for the EU increased by 13,000 during the same period. Looking back to August 2025, youth unemployment rose by 38,000 in the euro area, and by 19,000 across the EU. Throughout both regions, youth unemployment rates continued to stay higher than overall unemployment rates.
Unemployment rates for women remain higher than for men
Data for August also highlighted a persistent gap between female and male unemployment rates, with women in the euro area at 6.7%, compared to 6.2% for men, with both figures remaining stable from July. Across the EU, the unemployment rate was 6.4% for women and 5.9% for men, unchanged from the previous month.
The unemployment statistics adhere to harmonized definitions provided by the International Labour Organization, encompassing individuals aged 15 to 74 who are jobless, available to work, and have actively searched for employment in the past four weeks. The unemployment rate reflects the proportion of these people within the total labor force. The upcoming monthly unemployment figures for the euro area and the EU are scheduled for release on October 30, 2026.