Unemployed population — Unemployment in European Union
European Union: Unemployed population — Unemployment was 13,302 Persons in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployed population — Unemployment in European Union, 1998–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployed population — unemployment in European Union stood at 13,302 Persons.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and down 37.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployed population — unemployment in European Union peaked at 23,716 Persons in 2013 and was at its lowest, 13,076 Persons, in 2024.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 28 years of available data.
Unemployed population — Unemployment in European Union, year by year
| Year | Persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 17,346 Persons | — |
| 1999 | 16,221 Persons | -6.5% |
| 2000 | 20,537 Persons | +26.6% |
| 2001 | 19,128 Persons | -6.9% |
| 2002 | 20,018 Persons | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 20,324 Persons | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 20,874 Persons | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 19,361 Persons | -7.2% |
| 2006 | 17,621 Persons | -9.0% |
| 2007 | 15,349 Persons | -12.9% |
| 2008 | 14,999 Persons | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 19,044 Persons | +27.0% |
| 2010 | 20,355 Persons | +6.9% |
| 2011 | 20,426 Persons | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 22,593 Persons | +10.6% |
| 2013 | 23,716 Persons | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 22,844 Persons | -3.7% |
| 2015 | 21,160 Persons | -7.4% |
| 2016 | 19,328 Persons | -8.7% |
| 2017 | 17,329 Persons | -10.3% |
| 2018 | 15,525 Persons | -10.4% |
| 2019 | 14,367 Persons | -7.5% |
| 2020 | 14,995 Persons | +4.4% |
| 2021 | 14,987 Persons | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 13,318 Persons | -11.1% |
| 2023 | 13,185 Persons | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 13,076 Persons | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 13,302 Persons | +1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 16,784 Persons | 16,221 Persons | 17,346 Persons | 2 |
| 2000s | 18,725 Persons | 14,999 Persons | 20,874 Persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 19,764 Persons | 14,367 Persons | 23,716 Persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 13,810 Persons | 13,076 Persons | 14,995 Persons | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
More work & labour data for European Union
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 75.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 57.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 63.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 81.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 51.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 38.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 43.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 70.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 40.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployed population — unemployment in European Union?
- Unemployed population — unemployment in European Union was 13,302 Persons in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest unemployed population — unemployment recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 23,716 Persons in 2013.
- What is the lowest unemployed population — unemployment recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 13,076 Persons in 2024.
- How does European Union rank for unemployed population — unemployment?
- European Union ranks 2nd out of 10 regions with data for 2025.
- Is unemployed population — unemployment rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this European Union data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Unemployed population — Unemployment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
The infra-annual dataflow on the unemployed population is a subset of the infra-annual labour statistics database, which contains predominantly monthly and quarterly statistics on the unemployed population by age groups (15+, 15-24, 25-54, 55-64, 15-64 and 15-74 where available) and sex and associated statistical methodological information and associated statistical methodological information, for the OECD member countries and for selected other economies. Chile, Costa Rica, and the United Kingdom publish Labour Force Survey (LFS) data using a rolling quarter methodology. The OECD treats the middle month of the rolling quarter as the reference month. As a result, the publication of monthly LFS data for these countries may be delayed by one month or more relative to the OECD reference month. The unemployed are persons in their working age who, in the reference period, do not have a job; are available for work; and, have taken specific steps to find a job. The infra-annual labour statistics compiled for all OECD member countries, are drawn from Labour Force Surveys based on definition provided by the 19th Conference of Labour Statisticians in 2013. The uniform application of these definitions across all OECD member countries results in estimates that are internationally comparable.