Eurostat

Same for 4 months

EU UNEMPLOYMENT STEADY

AT 10.7% IN OCTOBER

18 million jobless

EU seasonally-adjusted unemployment rested at 10.7% at end-October 1997, Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities in Luxembourg, reports today.

Following revisions to earlier data, this means no change four months in a row. In October of both 1996 and 1995 the rate was a shade higher at 10.8%.

Eurostat says unemployment continued to fall in Denmark (5.8% in October), Ireland (9.9%), the Netherlands (5.1% - September) and Portugal (6.0%) - and, more fitfully, in Belgium (9.4%). But little change was detectable in Spain (20.8% - still by far the EU’s highest rate), Finland (13.0%) or the UK (7.0%).

It seemed to have stopped rising in France (12.6% five months in a row), Italy (12.1% - July), Sweden (9.8%) - and even in Germany, 10.0% in both October and September.

Lowest rates remained in Luxembourg, at 3.7% the same as September, and in Austria, 4.5% for five months running.

Eurostat estimates 18 million people were unemployed in the EU in October. This seasonally-adjusted figure in line with ILO criteria is almost 190,000 fewer than October last year.

Unemployment rates in October & September

: not available

Spanish revisions

The 1997 Spanish labour force survey has led to upward revisions. Spain’s rate was again well over 20% and nearly double the EU average. Its rate for women in October was 28.8%; the EU average was 12.6%.

Notes

1. This news release summarises Eurostat Monthly bulletin theme 3 series B 12/97, out shortly.

2. The monthly unemployment rate and numbers of unemployed are estimated and based on data from the annual Community labour force survey (LFS) held in spring according to ILO recommendations. These results are interpolated/extrapolated to monthly data using figures from national quarterly surveys and national monthly series on registered unemployment. The estimated rates may differ from national unemployment rates due to differences in methods and definitions of unemployment.

   ---

This summary is online: http://www.europa.eu.int