Euro Area Unemployment Falls to 6.2% in March 2026 as 170,000 More Find Work Year-on-Year

Euro area unemployment edged down to 6.2% in March 2026, from 6.3% in February, according to Eurostat data released April 30. A total of 10.984 million people remained out of work in the euro area, while the broader EU rate held steady at 6.0%, with 13.226 million unemployed. Compared with March 2025, euro area unemployment fell by 170,000 persons, while the EU saw a decline of 24,000. Month-on-month, the euro area shed 63,000 unemployed, and the EU dropped by 25,000. Youth unemployment told a more mixed story. 2.354 million young people under 25 were jobless in the euro area, with a stable rate of 14.9%, while the EU youth rate rose slightly to 15.4% from 15.3%. By gender, the euro area women recorded an unemployment rate of 6.5% versus 6.0% for men. Next full release is due June 1, 2026.