The Euro Area seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 9.5 per cent in February 2017, down from 9.6 per cent in January 2017, and from 10.3 per cent last February. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since May 2009. The broader European Union had unemployment of 8.0 per cent, down from 8.1 per cent in January 2017 and from 8.9 per cent last February.  This is the lowest rate recorded in the EU since January 2009.

Before and during the recession of 2008-2009, European unemployment rates were similar to those reported in Nova Scotia.  However, during Europe's sovereign debt crisis of 2011-2012 unemployment rates escalated among many member states.  Since 2013, unemployment rates have been slowly coming down across Europe.  The broader EU unemployment rate is once again similar to levels reported for Nova Scotia, but within the Euro Area, unemployment rates remain elevated.

Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates in February 2017 were recorded in the Czech Republic (3.4 per cent),  Germany (3.9 per cent) and Malta (4.1 per cent). The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (23.1 per cent in December 2016) and Spain (18.0 per cent).

Note: An unemployment person is defined by Eurostat according to the guidelines of the International Labour Organization as individual aged 15 to 74 (in Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway: 16 to 74 years), who is without work, is available to start work within the next two weeks and has actively sought employment at some time during the previous four weeks.  Canadian results from the Labour Force Survey shown above use slightly different age cohorts.

Source:  Eurostat: Unemployment