In April, Lithuania’s unemployment rate at 8.9 percent

The euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 11.1 percent in April 2015, down from 11.2 percent in March 2015, and down from 11.7 percent in April 2014. The EU28 unemployment rate was 9.7 percent in April 2015, stable compared with March 2015 and down from 10.3 percent in April 2014.

Eurostat estimates that 23.504 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 17.846 million in the euro area, were unemployed in April 2015. Compared with March 2015, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 126,000 in the EU28 and by 130,000 in the euro area. Compared with April 2014, unemployment fell by 1.545 million in the EU28 and by 849 000 in the euro area.

Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rate in April 2015 was recorded in Germany (4.7 percent), and the highest in Greece (25.4 percent in February 2015) and Spain (22.7 percent).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in April 2015 fell 22 Member States and increased in 6. The largest decreases were registered in Spain (24.9 percent to 22.7 percent), Lithuania (11.1 percent to 8.9 percent) and Ireland (11.8 percent to 9.7 percent). The increases were registered in Belgium (8.4 percent to 8.5 percent), Romania (6.8 percent to 6.9 percent), Austria (5.5 percent to 5.7 percent), France (10.1 percent to 10.5 percent), Croatia (17.1 percent to 17.5 percent) and Finland (8.5 percent to 9.4 percent).

In April 2015, the unemployment rate in the United States was 5.4 percent, down from 5.5 percent in March 2015 and down from 6.2 percent in April 2014.

In April 2015, 4.746 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 3.168 million were in the euro area. Compared with April 2014, youth unemployment decreased by 478,000 in the EU28 and by 270.000 in the euro area. In April 2015, the youth unemployment rate was 20.7 percent in the EU28 and 22.3 percent in the euro area, compared with 22.5 percent and 23.9 percent respectively in April 2014. In April 2015, the lowest rates were observed in Germany (7.2 percent), Austria and Denmark (both 10.1 percent), and the highest in Greece (50.1 percent in February 2015), Spain (49.6 percent), Croatia (45.5 percent in the first quarter 2015) and Italy (40.9 percent).