Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, said, the euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 7.7% in March 2019, down from 7.8% in February 2019 and from 8.5% in March 2018. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since September 2008. Unemployment was expected to remain at 7.8%.

The EU28 unemployment rate was 6.4% in March 2019, down from 6.5% in February 2019 and from 7.0% in March 2018. This is the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since the start of the EU monthly unemployment series in January 2000.

Eurostat estimates that 15.907 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 12.630 million in the euro area, were unemployed in March 2019. Compared with February 2019, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 172 000 in the EU28 and by 174 000 in the euro area. Compared with March 2018, unemployment fell by 1.430 million in the EU28 and by 1.172 million in the euro area.