VZCZCXRO6396
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBS #0471/01 0911225
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 011225Z APR 09
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
RUEHC/DOL WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000471 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DOL FOR BLS AND ILAB 
TREASURY FOR IMI 
STATE FOR DRL/IL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB EUN
SUBJECT:  EU UNEMPLOYMENT UP TO 7.9 PERCENT; EURO ZONE RATE UP TO 
8.5 PERCENT 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY.  The latest EU unemployment data as released by the EU 
Commission's Statistical Office (EUROSTAT) on April 1 confirmed the 
sharp deterioration of the EU labor market situation.  The aggregate 
unemployment rate for the EU-27 reached 7.9 percent in February 2009 
(up from 7.7 percent in January).  Unemployment in the euro zone 
(the 16 EU countries currently participating in the euro) increased 
to 8.5 in January 2009, also up by 0.2 percentage point over the 
previous month.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  With seasonal adjustment and compensation for differences in 
national statistical methods, the 
unemployment rate for the EU-27 stood at 7.9 percent 
in February 2009, up from 7.7 percent in January 2009 (revised 
upward from initial 7.6 estimate) and from 6.8 percent in February 
¶2008.  The unemployment rate for the euro zone stood at 8.5 percent 
in February 2009, up from 8.3 percent in January 2009 (also revised 
upward from initial figure) and from 7.2 percent in February 2008 
(comparison based on EU-16; euro zone membership effective in 
February 2009). 
 
¶3.  The lowest monthly rate among those compiled by EUROSTAT from 
the EU-27 for February 2009 was recorded in the Netherlands (2.7 
percent), while the highest rates were recorded in Spain (15.5 
percent), Latvia (14.4 percent) and Lithuania (13.7 percent). 
 
¶4.  EUROSTAT noted that seven countries among 
the EU-27 recorded a decrease in their unemployment 
rate over a year, nineteen an increase, while one recorded no 
change.  The most significant decreases (February-to-February 
comparison) occurred in Bulgaria (from 6.2 percent to 5.5 percent) 
and Slovakia (from 10.2 percent to 9.8 percent), while huge 
increases occurred in Lithuania (from 4.4 percent to 13.7 percent), 
Latvia (from 6.1 percent to 14.4 percent) and Spain (from 9.3 
percent to 15.5 percent). 
 
¶5.  Based on EUROSTAT estimates, male unemployment 
reached 7.8 percent in February 2009 for the EU-27 and 8.1 percent 
for the euro zone, up 1.6 percentage point for both areas when 
compared to February 2008.  The female unemployment rate over the 
same period reached 8.0 percent for the EU-27 and 8.9 percent for 
the euro zone, up 0.6 percentage point and up 0.7 percentage point 
respectively over the twelve-month period. 
 
¶6.  Unemployment rates among young people under 25 for February 2009 
ranged from 5.5 percent in the Netherlands and 9.4 percent in 
Denmark to 31.8 percent in Spain and 24.1 percent in Sweden.  The 
February 2009 rate for this age group was estimated at 17.5 percent 
for the EU-27 and at 17.3 percent for the euro zone, compared to 
14.7 percent and 14.5 percent respectively (plus plus 2.8 percentage 
point in both areas) for February 2008. 
 
¶7.  EUROSTAT estimated that 19.156 million were 
unemployed in the EU-27 in February 2009, of which 13.486 million in 
the euro zone.  In absolute numbers, the number of unemployed 
increased by 3,019,000 for the EU-27 and by 2,125,000 for the euro 
zone over the twelve-month period. 
 
¶8.  Following is the breakdown of unemployment rates in ascending 
order for the individual EU member states: 
 
(Seasonally-adjusted) 
 
(February 2009 rates unless otherwise indicated) 
 
Netherlands  2.7 
Cyprus   4.5 
Austria   4.5 
Slovenia  4.6 
Denmark  4.8 
Czech Republic 4.9 
Bulgaria  5.5 
Romania  5.8 (fourth quarter 2008) 
Luxembourg   5.9 
Malta   6.4 
UK   6.4 (December 2008) 
Finland  6.8 
Italy   6.9 (fourth quarter 2008) 
Belgium  7.1 
Germany  7.4 
Poland   7.4 
Sweden     7.5 
Greece   7.8 (fourth quarter 2008) 
Portugal  8.3 
France   8.6 
Hungary  8.7 
Slovakia  9.8 
 
BRUSSELS 00000471  002 OF 002 
 
 
Estonia  9.9 
Ireland  10.0 
Lithuania  13.7 
Latvia   14.4 
Spain   15.5 
 
EU-27   7.9 
Euro zone  8.5 
 
¶9.  The monthly rates and numbers of unemployed are 
estimated and based on data from the EU labor force 
survey.  The estimated rates may differ from 
national unemployment rates due to differences in 
methods and definitions of unemployment.  Unemployed 
people according to ILO criteria are those aged 15 
and over who: 
 
-- Are without work; 
 
-- Are available to start work within the next two 
weeks; and 
 
-- Have actively sought employment at some time 
during the previous four weeks. 
 
MURRAY