SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in European Union 28
European Union 28: SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) was 5.68 in 2027. ▼ Falling
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in European Union 28, 2000–2027
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
European Union 28 recorded 5.68 for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in 2027. That is the lowest value across all 28 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and down 25.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in European Union 28 peaked at 10.87 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 5.68, in 2024.
That places European Union 28 34th out of 87 groups with data for 2027, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 28 years of available data.
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in European Union 28, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 9.16 | — |
| 2001 | 8.62 | -5.9% |
| 2002 | 8.98 | +4.1% |
| 2003 | 9.07 | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 9.18 | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 9.01 | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 8.26 | -8.3% |
| 2007 | 7.22 | -12.6% |
| 2008 | 7.05 | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 9.01 | +27.9% |
| 2010 | 9.63 | +6.8% |
| 2011 | 9.7 | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 10.53 | +8.6% |
| 2013 | 10.87 | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 10.23 | -5.9% |
| 2015 | 9.41 | -8.0% |
| 2016 | 8.54 | -9.3% |
| 2017 | 7.64 | -10.5% |
| 2018 | 6.82 | -10.7% |
| 2019 | 6.26 | -8.2% |
| 2020 | 6.7 | +6.9% |
| 2021 | 6.72 | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 5.82 | -13.5% |
| 2023 | 5.73 | -1.6% |
| 2024 | 5.68 | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 5.74 | +1.0% |
| 2026 | 5.73 | -0.1% |
| 2027 | 5.68 | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8.56 | 7.05 | 9.18 | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.96 | 6.26 | 10.87 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.97 | 5.68 | 6.72 | 8 |
Countries ranked near European Union 28
More work & labour data for European Union 28
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 254,923 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 57.21 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 190,645 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 5.68 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.16 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 121,951 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 82,196 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 53.96 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 0.8736 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate -0.3826 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in European Union 28?
- Sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in European Union 28 was 5.68 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) recorded in European Union 28?
- The highest recorded value was 10.87 in 2013.
- What is the lowest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) recorded in European Union 28?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.68 in 2024.
- How does European Union 28 rank for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition)?
- European Union 28 ranks 34th out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
- Is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) rising or falling in European Union 28?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this European Union 28 data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
Data may differ from nationally reported figures and the Global SDG Indicators Database due to differences in sources and/or reference years. The unemployment rate conveys the number of persons who are unemployed as a percent of the labour force (i.e., the employed plus the unemployed). The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. For more information, refer to the Labour Market-related SDG Indicators (ILOSDG) database description.