Euro area unemployment at 6.5% - European Commission

In September 2026, the euro area seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.5%, stable compared with August 2026 and up from 6.3% in September 2025. The EU unemployment rate was 6.2% in September 2026, also stable compared with August 2026 and up from 6.0% in September 2025. These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union . Eurostat estimates that 13.773 million persons in the EU , of whom 11.555 million in the euro area , were unemployed in September 2026. Compared with August 2026, unemployment increased by 105 thousand in the EU and by 122 thousand in the euro area . Compared with September 2025, unemployment increased by 471 thousand in the EU and by 420 thousand in the euro area . In September 2026, 3.