Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) in European Union 28
European Union 28: Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) was 5.68 in 2027. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) in European Union 28, 1991–2027
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2027, unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) in European Union 28 stood at 5.68. That is the lowest value across all 37 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 25.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) in European Union 28 peaked at 11.31 in 1994 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 37 years of available data.
Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) in European Union 28, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 8.58 | — |
| 1992 | 9.3 | +8.4% |
| 1993 | 10.79 | +16.0% |
| 1994 | 11.31 | +4.8% |
| 1995 | 10.8 | -4.4% |
| 1996 | 10.77 | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 10.46 | -2.9% |
| 1998 | 9.98 | -4.6% |
| 1999 | 9.68 | -3.0% |
| 2000 | 9.16 | -5.3% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.18 | 8.58 | 11.31 | 9 |
| 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
- 31 Rwanda 11.53 compare
- 32 United States Virgin Islands 11.45 compare
- 33 Albania 11.36 compare
- 34 Lebanon 10.98 compare
- 35 New Caledonia 10.51 compare
- 36 Mauritania 10.41 compare
- 37 Nepal 10.27 compare
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)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 121,951 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.16 (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)
- Employment 242,261 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) in European Union 28?
- Unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) in European Union 28 was 5.68 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) recorded in European Union 28?
- The highest recorded value was 11.31 in 1994.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) recorded in European Union 28?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.68 in 2024.
- How does European Union 28 rank for unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates)?
- European Union 28 ranks 34th out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
- Is unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) 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 Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 37 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. 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 ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.