In the second quarter of 2015, overall employment increased by 0.3% in the Eurozone and by 0.2% in the EU. On an annual basis, employment growth of 0.8% and 0.9% respectively, were recorded, according to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

Eurostat estimates that, in the second quarter of 2015, 228.8m men and women were employed in the EU, of which 151m were in the Eurozone.

Employment growth in Portugal (+1.3%) and Greece (+1.2%) recorded the highest increases in the second quarter of 2015 compared with the previous quarter, followed by Ireland and Spain (both +0.9%), Estonia (+0.8%), Luxembourg and Slovakia (both +0.7%). Decreases were recorded in Finland (-0.3%), the United Kingdom (-0.2%), Bulgaria and Lithuania (both -0.1%).

However, the unemployment rate in the Eurozone was 10.9 % in July, down from 11.1% in June, and from 11.6 % in July 2014. The EU unemployment rate was 9.5 % in July, down from 9.6 % in June and from 10.2 % in July 2014.

Within the Eurozone, the lowest unemployment rates in July were recorded in Germany (4.7 %), the Czech Republic and Malta (both 5.1 %), and the highest in Greece (25% in May 2015) and Spain (22.2 %).