The European Union unemployment rate was 6.1 per cent in July 2026, also stable compared with June 2026 and up from 6.0 per cent in July 2025, the office said.
Eurostat estimated that 13.516 million people in the EU were unemployed in July 2026, including 11.264 million in the euro area.
Euro area seasonally adjusted unemployment was 6.4 per cent in July 2026, unchanged from June and up from 6.3 per cent a year earlier.
EU unemployment held at 6.1 per cent, with 13.516 million people unemployed across the bloc.
Youth unemployment eased month on month but remained higher year on year, a labour signal for Europe-facing sourcing and retail teams.
Compared with June 2026, unemployment fell by 41,000 in the EU and was unchanged in the euro area, Eurostat said. Compared with July 2025, unemployment rose by 296,000 in the EU and by 175,000 in the euro area.
Youth unemployment also remained elevated in absolute terms. Eurostat estimated that 2.930 million young people under 25 were unemployed in the EU in July 2026, including 2.371 million in the euro area. The youth unemployment rate was 15.1 per cent in the EU, down from 15.6 per cent in the previous month, and 14.9 per cent in the euro area, down from 15.0 per cent in June 2026.
Compared with June 2026, youth unemployment declined by 98,000 in the EU and by 26,000 in the euro area, according to Eurostat. Compared with July 2025, youth unemployment increased by 29,000 in the EU and by 40,000 in the euro area.
By sex, the unemployment rate for women in the EU was 6.3 per cent in July 2026 and the rate for men was 5.9 per cent, both stable compared with the previous month, Eurostat said. In the euro area, the unemployment rate was 6.6 per cent for women and 6.2 per cent for men, also stable compared with June 2026.
Compared with rates published by Eurostat on July 30, 2026, the June 2026 unemployment rate for the EU was revised from 6.0 per cent to 6.1 per cent, while the euro area rate was revised from 6.3 per cent to 6.4 per cent. Among EU member states, the rate was revised down by more than 0.1 percentage points for Lithuania, by 0.7 percentage points. It was revised up by more than 0.1 percentage points for Cyprus by 0.8 percentage points; Bulgaria and Romania by 0.5 percentage points each; and Estonia, Latvia and Poland by 0.3 percentage points each.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (CG)
