Unemployment across the euro area remained elevated in September, with the jobless rate holding at 6.5% for a second consecutive month, while the European Union's overall rate stood at 6.2%, according to the latest
figures released by Eurostat.
The data published by the EU's statistical office show a gradual deterioration in labour market conditions compared with the same period last year. In September 2025, unemployment stood at 6.3% in the euro area and 6.0% across the EU.
An estimated 13.773 million people were unemployed across the 27-member bloc in September 2026, including 11.555 million in countries using the euro.
Despite the unchanged headline unemployment rates, the number of people without work increased over the month. Compared with August, the EU recorded an additional 105,000 unemployed people, while the euro area saw an increase of 122,000.
The annual comparison also points to a weakening employment situation. The number of unemployed people rose by 471,000 across the EU and by 420,000 in the euro area compared with September 2025.
Young people face growing employment challenges
Unemployment among people under the age of 25 continued to rise, highlighting persistent difficulties for young Europeans entering the labour market.
Eurostat estimates that 3.022 million young people were unemployed across the EU in September, of whom 2.469 million lived in the euro area.
The youth unemployment rate reached 15.5% in the EU, compared with 15.4% in August. In the euro area, the rate increased to 15.4%, up from 15.1% a month earlier.
In absolute terms, youth unemployment increased by 44,000 across the EU and by 69,000 in the euro area between August and September.
Compared with a year earlier, the number of unemployed young people rose by 45,000 in the EU and by 80,000 in the euro area.
Women continue to face higher unemployment
The September figures also reveal a persistent gap between male and female unemployment rates.
Across the EU, the unemployment rate for women remained at 6.4%, while the rate for men was unchanged at 6.0%.
In the euro area, female unemployment stood at 6.7%, maintaining the same level as in August. Male unemployment, however, increased slightly from 6.3% to 6.4%.
The figures indicate that women continue to experience higher unemployment than men in both the EU and the euro area.
Broader indicators provide a fuller picture
Eurostat's unemployment estimates follow the International Labour Organisation's internationally recognised definition. Under this standard, people are classified as unemployed if they have no job, have actively searched for employment during the previous four weeks and are available to begin working within the following two weeks.
However, the headline unemployment rate does not capture every form of labour market difficulty.
Additional indicators include people working part-time who would prefer more hours, individuals seeking employment but unable to start immediately, and those available to work but not actively searching for a job.
These broader measures are published alongside the EU Labour Force Survey, offering a more comprehensive assessment of employment conditions across the bloc.
Eurostat is scheduled to release the EU Labour Force Survey figures for the third quarter of 2026 on 11 December 2026. Photo by Phil Whitehouse, Wikimedia commons.
