The Eurozone unemployment rate climbed to 6.3% in December 2024, up from 6.2% in November, according to the latest data from Eurostat. Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) unemployment rate also edged higher, rising from 5.8% to 5.9% during the same period.
Despite the monthly increase, unemployment levels remain lower than a year ago, when the Eurozone had an unemployment rate of 6.5% and the EU stood at 6%.
Among EU countries, Spain (10.6%), Greece (9.4%), Finland (8.6%), and Sweden (8.5%) recorded the highest jobless rates in December.
The total number of unemployed individuals in the EU reached 12.98 million, with 10.83 million residing in the Eurozone. Meanwhile, youth unemployment remained a pressing issue, affecting 2.93 million individuals under 25 in the EU and 2.36 million in the Eurozone.