On June 3, Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, reported that in April of the current year the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the European Union member states (EU-28) was 10.4 percent, down from 10.5 percent in March, while it was down from 10.9 percent in April 2013. The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in the euro area was 11.7 percent in April, down from 11.8 percent in March, while decreasing from 12.0 percent in April 2013.
Compared to April 2013, in April this year the unemployment rate in the EU-28 fell in 18 states, increased in eight states and remained stable in two.
Among the EU-28 member states, in April the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria (4.9%), Germany (5.2%) and Luxembourg (6.1%), and the highest in Greece (26.5% in February 2014) and in Spain (25.1%).
Meanwhile, in April this year the unemployment rate in the United States was 6.3 percent, down from 6.7 percent in March and declining from 7.5 percent in April 2013.