December 1999

Euro-zone unemployment falls to 9.6%

EU15 down to 8.8%

1st February 2000
The European Union
Eurostat

Euro-zone1 seasonally-adjusted unemployment fell to 9.6% in December 99 from 9.8% in November, Eurostat – Statistical Office of the European Communities in Luxembourg – reports today. This compares to 10.5% in December 98.

The EU15 rate fell to 8.8% in December 1999 from 9.0% in November. In December a year earlier it was 9.6%.

Lowest rates were in Luxembourg and the Netherlands (2.6% in November) followed by Denmark (4.1%), Austria (4.2%), and Portugal (4.4%).

Spain’s 15.0% was still the EU’s highest rate. In the last twelve months, notable relative falls were recorded in the Netherlands (from 3.6% to 2.6% in November) and in Ireland (from 7.1% to 5.8%).

EU unemployment of under-25s ranged from less than 5% in the Netherlands (in November), to over 25% in Italy (in October) and in Spain. In December 99 EU15-wide, it was 16.8%, and 18.0% in the euro-zone. In December 1998 it was 18.9% and 20.5% respectively.

US unemployment was 4.0%; the Japanese rate 4.5% (in November).

Eurostat estimates 12.4 million men and women were unemployed in the euro-zone and
15.0 million in EU15 in December 99. These are seasonally-adjusted figures in line with ILO criteria.

Unemployment rates (%) in December and November 1999 in ascending order
 

Dec

Nov

  

Dec

Nov

EU15

8.8

9.0

Ireland

5.8

5.9

Euro zone

9.6

9.8

Sweden

6.6

6.6
     

Belgium

8.7

8.7

Luxembourg

:

2.6

Germany

9.0

9.1

Netherlands

:

2.6

Finland

9.9

9.9

Denmark

4.1

4.1

 France

10.4

10.5

Austria

4.2

4.2

Spain

15.0

15.4

Portugal

4.4

4.3

      

Source: Eurostat

Background notes

  1. Euro-zone: Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland.
  2. Unemployed people according to International Labour Organisation (ILO) criteria are those aged 15 and over who:
    - are without work
    - are available to start work within the next two weeks
    - and have actively sought employment at some time during the previous four weeks.
  3. The monthly unemployment rate and numbers of unemployed are estimates based on results of the Community Labour Force Survey (LFS). These results are interpolated/extrapolated to monthly data using national survey data and national monthly series on registered unemployment. Estimated rates might differ from national unemployment rates due to differences in methods and definitions of unemployment.

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED UNEMPLOYMENT RATES (%)

TOTAL

MALES AND FEMALES

EU15

EUR 11

B

DK

D

GR

E

F

IRL

I

L

NL

A

P

FIN

S

UK

USA

JAP

97.12

10.4

11.4

9.6

5.4

10.1

:

20.1

12.1

8.8

11.8

2.9

4.6

4.6

6.2

11.9

8.9

6.5

4.7

3.5

98.12

9.6

10.5

9.2

4.7

9.3

:

17.3

11.5

7.1

11.7

2.6

3.6

4.6

4.7

10.7

7.6

6.4

4.3

4.4

99.08

9.2

10.0

9.1

4.4

9.2

:

15.6

11.1

6.4

11.2

2.8

3.1

4.3

4.4

10.0

6.9

5.9

4.2

4.7

99.09

9.1

9.9

8.9

4.3

9.2

:

15.4

10.8

6.3

11.1

2.7

3.0

4.2

4.3

10.0

6.8

5.9

4.2

4.6

99.10

9.0

9.8

8.9

4.2

9.1

:

15.3

10.7

6.1

11.1

2.7

2.8

4.1

4.3

10.0

6.5

5.9

4.1

4.6

99.11

9.0

9.8

8.7

4.1

9.1

:

15.4

10.5

5.9

:

2.6

2.6

4.2

4.3

9.9

6.6

:

4.1

4.5

99.12

8.8

9.6

8.7

4.1

9.0

:

15.0

10.4

5.8

:

:

:

4.2

4.4

9.9

6.6

:

4.0

:

MALES
 

EU15

EUR 11

B

DK

D

GR

E

F

IRL

I

L

NL

A

P

FIN

S

UK

USA

JAP
97.12

9.0

9.6

7.7

4.3

9.4

:

15.2

10.3

8.9

9.1

2.1

3.4

3.8

5.3

11.4

9.5

7.2

4.6

3.5

98.12

8.3

8.7

7.5

3.7

8.8

:

12.4

9.7

7.2

9.0

1.8

2.7

3.9

3.8

10.2

7.9

7.1

4.3

4.6

99.08

7.9

8.3

7.4

3.4

8.6

:

10.9

9.4

6.4

8.8

1.9

2.1

3.6

3.9

9.4

7.2

6.5

4.1

4.8

99.09

7.8

8.2

7.3

3.4

8.6

:

10.6

9.1

6.2

8.7

1.9

2.0

3.6

3.8

9.4

7.0

6.4

4.1

4.6

99.10

7.7

8.1

7.2

3.3

8.5

:

10.6

8.9

6.0

8.6

1.8

2.1

3.5

3.9

9.4

6.6

6.5

4.1

4.7

99.11

7.7

8.0

7.1

3.3

8.5

:

10.5

8.8

5.9

:

1.8

1.8

3.7

3.9

9.4

7.0

:

4.0

4.7

99.12

7.6

7.9

7.0

3.3

8.4

:

10.2

8.6

5.8

:

:

:

3.5

4.0

9.3

7.1

:

4.0

:

FEMALES
 

EU15

EUR 11

B

DK

D

GR

E

F

IRL

I

L

NL

A

P

FIN

S

UK

USA

JAP

97.12

12.2

13.8

12.2

6.8

10.9

:

27.7

14.2

8.5

16.2

4.3

6.2

5.6

7.2

12.4

8.4

5.6

4.7

3.5

98.12

11.3

12.8

11.5

5.8

9.9

:

24.8

13.7

7.0

16.0

3.8

4.7

5.5

5.8

11.3

7.2

5.4

4.3

4.2

99.08

10.9

12.3

11.4

5.5

10.0

:

22.8

13.1

6.5

15.2

4.3

4.4

5.1

4.9

10.7

6.7

5.2

4.3

4.6

99.09

10.8

12.2

11.2

5.3

10.0

:

22.7

12.8

6.3

15.0

4.1

4.4

5.0

4.9

10.6

6.6

5.3

4.4

4.7

99.10

10.7

12.1

11.1

5.2

9.9

:

22.6

12.7

6.2

14.9

4.1

3.7

4.9

4.8

10.6

6.5

5.3

4.1

4.5

99.11

10.7

12.1

11.0

5.1

9.9

:

22.8

12.6

6.0

:

3.9

3.7

4.9

4.8

10.5

6.1

:

4.2

4.2

99.12

10.5

11.9

10.9

5.0

9.8

:

22.2

12.4

5.9

:

:

:

5.0

4.7

10.4

6.0

:

4.0

:

UNDER 25 YEARS

MALES AND FEMALES
 

EU15

EUR 11

B

DK

D

GR

E

F

IRL

I

L

NL

A

P

FIN

S

UK

USA

JAP

97.12

20.3

22.4

22.7

7.8

10.6

:

37.6

28.0

13.3

33.7

8.1

8.8

6.7

13.5

23.8

19.0

13.6

10.5

7.2

98.12

18.9

20.5

21.6

7.1

9.7

:

32.8

26.2

10.1

33.6

5.9

6.7

6.4

10.1

22.6

15.4

14.2

9.6

8.8

99.08

17.7

19.1

21.6

6.3

9.2

:

29.1

25.2

8.6

32.0

6.4

7.0

5.7

8.5

20.4

13.8

12.7

9.7

9.6

99.09

17.4

18.8

21.0

6.0

9.1

:

28.5

24.4

8.2

32.0

6.0

6.4

5.6

8.4

20.6

13.7

12.7

10.1

9.7

99.10

17.1

18.5

20.7

5.8

9.0

:

28.1

23.9

7.8

32.4

5.7

4.7

5.5

8.5

20.9

13.5

12.5

10.0

9.4

99.11

17.0

18.3

20.4

5.6

8.9

:

28.1

23.3

7.5

:

5.5

4.7

5.6

8.7

21.2

13.2

:

10.1

9.5

99.12

16.8

18.0

20.1

5.6

8.9

:

27.4

22.8

7.2

:

:

:

5.5

8.6

21.2

12.3

:

9.6

:

MALES
 

EU15

EUR 11

B

DK

D

GR

E

F

IRL

I

L

NL

A

P

FIN

S

UK

USA

JAP

97.12

18.9

20.3

19.7

6.8

11.4

:

31.6

25.4

13.8

29.6

7.8

7.9

5.4

10.5

22.8

21.4

15.0

10.8

7.5

98.12

17.7

18.4

19.5

6.9

10.5

:

26.2

23.9

10.4

29.8

5.9

5.8

5.2

7.9

21.5

16.3

16.3

10.6

9.1

99.08

16.4

17.2

19.3

6.0

9.8

:

22.7

23.5

8.6

28.8

6.5

5.1

4.6

6.6

19.2

14.5

14.0

9.9

10.1

99.09

16.0

16.7

19.0

5.8

9.9

:

21.9

22.4

8.2

28.7

6.2

4.2

4.6

6.4

19.4

13.6

13.8

10.1

10.6

99.10

15.8

16.5

18.7

5.5

9.7

:

21.3

21.8

7.8

29.2

5.8

4.1

4.5

6.6

19.8

13.8

13.6

10.3

10.3

99.11

15.6

16.3

18.4

5.5

9.7

:

21.1

21.2

7.5

:

5.5

3.0

4.7

6.7

20.1

13.4

:

10.2

10.7

99.12

15.4

16.1

18.1

5.6

9.7

:

20.6

20.7

7.3

:

:

:

4.4

7.0

20.1

12.4

:

10.6

:

FEMALES
 

EU15

EUR 11

B

DK

D

GR

E

F

IRL

I

L

NL

A

P

FIN

S

UK

USA

JAP

97.12

21.9

24.9

26.4

8.9

9.6

:

45.0

30.8

12.7

38.9

8.5

9.7

8.2

17.3

24.9

16.4

12.0

10.1

6.7

98.12

20.3

22.8

24.4

7.3

8.7

:

40.9

28.7

9.7

38.5

6.0

7.7

7.7

12.6

23.8

14.5

11.7

8.5

8.5

99.08

19.2

21.3

24.4

6.6

8.5

:

37.0

27.1

8.5

36.1

6.4

9.0

6.9

10.7

21.7

13.0

11.2

9.4

9.0

99.09

19.1

21.1

23.6

6.2

8.3

:

36.7

26.7

8.2

36.1

5.8

8.6

6.6

10.8

21.9

13.7

11.4

10.1

8.7

99.10

18.7

20.7

23.2

6.0

8.1

:

36.5

26.3

7.8

36.4

5.6

5.3

6.5

10.8

22.1

13.1

11.2

9.6

8.4

99.11

18.7

20.6

22.8

5.7

8.0

:

36.7

25.7

7.5

:

5.4

6.4

6.6

10.9

22.3

13.0

:

9.9

8.2

99.12

18.3

20.3

22.6

5.7

7.9

:

35.7

25.2

7.2

:

:

:

6.6

10.6

22.4

12.2

:

8.4

:

25 YEARS AND OVER

MALES AND FEMALES
 

EU15

EUR 11

B

DK

D

GR

E

F

IRL

I

L

NL

A

P

FIN

S

UK

USA

JAP

97.12

8.9

9.8

8.1

5.0

10.0

:

16.7

10.3

7.7

8.7

2.4

3.8

4.2

5.0

10.3

7.7

5.2

3.6

3.0

98.12

8.2

9.1

7.8

4.2

9.2

:

14.4

9.9

6.4

8.7

2.2

2.9

4.3

3.8

9.1

6.6

4.9

3.3

3.8

99.08

7.9

8.8

7.7

4.1

9.2

:

13.1

9.5

5.9

8.5

2.4

2.3

4.0

3.7

8.5

6.2

4.7

3.2

4.0

99.09

7.9

8.7

7.6

4.0

9.2

:

13.0

9.3

5.8

8.4

2.4

2.4

4.0

3.6

8.4

6.0

4.7

3.1

4.0

99.10

7.8

8.6

7.6

3.9

9.2

:

13.0

9.3

5.7

8.4

2.3

2.4

3.9

3.6

8.4

5.7

4.7

3.0

4.0

99.11

7.8

8.6

7.5

3.9

9.1

:

13.1

9.2

5.6

:

2.3

2.2

4.0

3.6

8.3

5.8

:

3.0

3.9

99.12

7.7

8.5

7.4

3.8

9.0

:

12.7

9.1

5.5

:

:

:

3.9

3.6

8.2

5.9

:

3.0

:

MALES
 

EU15

EUR 11

B

DK

D

GR

E

F

IRL

I

L

NL

A

P

FIN

S

UK

USA

JAP

97.12

7.6

8.2

6.4

3.8

9.2

:

12.4

8.7

7.9

6.5

1.6

2.7

3.6

4.4

9.9

8.0

5.7

3.5

3.1

98.12

7.0

7.5

6.2

3.1

8.6

:

10.1

8.2

6.6

6.5

1.4

2.2

3.7

3.1

8.6

6.9

5.5

3.2

4.0

99.08

6.7

7.2

6.2

3.0

8.4

:

8.9

7.9

5.9

6.4

1.5

1.6

3.5

3.5

8.0

6.3

5.2

3.1

4.2

99.09

6.7

7.1

6.1

3.0

8.4

:

8.8

7.7

5.8

6.4

1.5

1.7

3.5

3.4

7.9

6.3

5.1

3.0

3.9

99.10

6.6

7.1

6.0

3.0

8.4

:

8.8

7.6

5.7

6.3

1.4

1.8

3.4

3.4

7.9

5.7

5.2

3.0

4.1

99.11

6.6

7.0

5.9

2.9

8.3

:

8.8

7.5

5.5

:

1.4

1.6

3.5

3.5

7.9

6.3

:

2.8

4.1

99.12

6.5

6.9

5.9

3.0

8.3

:

8.5

7.4

5.5

:

:

:

3.4

3.5

7.8

6.5

:

2.8

:

FEMALES
 

EU15

EUR 11

B

DK

D

GR

E

F

IRL

I

L

NL

A

P

FIN

S

UK

USA

JAP

97.12

10.6

12.2

10.5

6.3

11.1

:

23.7

12.3

7.3

12.5

3.7

5.5

5.1

5.6

10.8

7.4

4.4

3.7

2.9

98.12

9.9

11.3

10.0

5.5

10.0

:

21.3

12.0

6.2

12.3

3.6

4.0

5.2

4.6

9.6

6.4

4.1

3.5

3.5

99.08

9.6

11.0

9.9

5.3

10.2

:

19.8

11.5

6.0

12.0

4.0

3.4

4.8

3.9

9.0

6.0

4.1

3.3

3.9

99.09

9.5

10.9

9.8

5.2

10.2

:

19.8

11.3

5.8

11.8

3.9

3.5

4.7

3.8

8.9

5.8

4.1

3.3

4.1

99.10

9.5

10.8

9.7

5.1

10.2

:

19.7

11.2

5.7

11.7

3.9

3.3

4.6

3.8

8.8

5.7

4.2

3.1

3.9

99.11

9.4

10.8

9.6

5.0

10.1

:

19.9

11.2

5.6

:

3.7

3.1

4.7

3.7

8.8

5.2

:

3.1

3.6

99.12

9.3

10.7

9.6

4.9

10.0

:

19.4

11.0

5.5

:

:

:

4.7

3.7

8.7

5.2

:

3.1

:

Issued by:

Eurostat Press Office
Fons THEIS, Philippe BAUTIER, Anette SIMES, Bâtiment Joseph Bech
L-2920 LUXEMBOURG
Tel: +352-4301-33 444
Fax: +352-4301-35 349
pressoffice@eurostat.cec.eu.int

For further infomation on data:

André PERSENAIRE
Tel: +352-4301-32 005
Fax: +352-4301-34 415
andre.persenaire@cec.eu.int
Eurostat news releases on Internet:
http://europa.eu.int/eurostat.html