Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in European Union
European Union: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 5.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in European Union, 1990–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in European Union is 5.8%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.5% on the previous year and down 40.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in European Union peaked at 11.2% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 5.7%, in 2024.
European Union ranks 8th of 24 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in European Union, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 5.8% | — |
| 1991 | 6.4% | +9.8% |
| 1992 | 7.6% | +18.3% |
| 1993 | 9.5% | +25.9% |
| 1994 | 10.2% | +7.1% |
| 1995 | 9.5% | -6.3% |
| 1996 | 9.7% | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 9.5% | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 9.1% | -4.9% |
| 1999 | 8.9% | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 8.4% | -5.3% |
| 2001 | 8.2% | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 8.7% | +6.2% |
| 2003 | 8.9% | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 9.1% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 8.8% | -3.5% |
| 2006 | 7.9% | -10.6% |
| 2007 | 6.8% | -13.7% |
| 2008 | 6.7% | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 9.1% | +36.3% |
| 2010 | 9.7% | +7.4% |
| 2011 | 9.7% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 10.7% | +10.2% |
| 2013 | 11.2% | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 10.7% | -5.2% |
| 2015 | 9.9% | -7.3% |
| 2016 | 8.9% | -10.1% |
| 2017 | 7.9% | -11.4% |
| 2018 | 7.0% | -11.4% |
| 2019 | 6.4% | -8.3% |
| 2020 | 6.8% | +6.2% |
| 2021 | 6.7% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 5.8% | -13.2% |
| 2023 | 5.7% | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 5.7% | -0.7% |
| 2025 | 5.8% | +2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.6% | 5.8% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.2% | 6.7% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.2% | 6.4% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.1% | 5.7% | 6.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
More work & labour data for European Union
- 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 for ages 15-24, total (%) 40.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 70.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 75.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 81.9% (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in European Union?
- Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in European Union was 5.8% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 11.2% in 2013.
- What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.7% in 2024.
- How does European Union rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
- European Union ranks 8th out of 24 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this European Union data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.