Malta had the third lowest EU unemployment rate in October, Eurostat figures issued today show.

The euro area seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 10.7%, down from 10.8% in September 2015, and from 11.5% in October 2014. This was the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since January 2012.

The EU28 unemployment rate was 9.3% in October 2015, stable compared to September 2015, and down from 10.1% in October 2014. This was the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since September 2009.  

Eurostat said that 22.497 million men and women in the EU28 were unemployed in October 2015. 

Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates in October 2015 were recorded in Germany (4.5%), the Czech Republic (4.7%) and Malta (5.1%), and the highest in Greece (24.6% in August 2015) and Spain (21.6%).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in October 2015 fell in twenty-four Member States and increased in four. The largest decreases were registered in Spain (from 23.9% to 21.6%), Slovakia (from 12.7% to 10.7%), Ireland (from 10.7% to 8.9%) and Croatia (from 17.6% to 15.8%). The increases were registered in Finland (9.0% to 9.5%), France (10.5% to 10.8%), Belgium (8.6% to 8.7%) and Romania (6.7% to 6.8%).

In October 2015, the unemployment rate in the United States was 5.0%, down from 5.1% in September 2015 and from 5.7% in October 2014. 

GOVERNMENT HAILS RESULTS

In a reaction, the government said the EU figures belied opposition claims that unemployment had not really decreased and people were being struck off the unemployment register.

Eurostat, it said, does not use administrative sources such as the unemployment register, but makes its estimates on the basis of scientific surveys, the government observed.

It also observed that under the former government, the unemployment rate averaged 6.5%, peaking at 7.3% in February 2010.

The drop in unemployment was the result of government measures which included the Youth Guarantee Scheme, which the opposition had criticised, the government said.