ZAGREB, April 5, 2018 - The EU28 unemployment rate in February 2018 was down on the month and on the year, and similar trends were recorded in Croatia, according to Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU, which once again put Croatia in a group of countries with the biggest drop in the unemployment rate on the year.

The EU28 unemployment rate was 7.1% in February 2018, down from 7.2% in January 2018 and from 8.0% in February 2017. This is the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since September 2008.

The euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 8.5% in February 2018, down from 8.6% in January 2018 and from 9.5% in February 2017. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since December 2008.

Eurostat estimates that 17.632 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 13.916 million in the euro area, were unemployed in February 2018.

Compared with January 2018, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 201,000 in the EU28 and by 141,000 in the euro area. Compared with February 2017, unemployment fell by 1.968 million in the EU28 and by 1.436 million in the euro area.

Among the member states, the lowest unemployment rates in February 2018 were recorded in the Czech Republic (2.4%), Germany and Malta (both 3.5%), as well as Hungary (3.7% in January 2018). The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (20.8% in December 2017) and Spain (16.1%).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate fell in all Member States except Estonia where it increased (from 5.8% to 6.5% between January 2017 and January 2018).

The largest decreases were registered in Cyprus (from 12.6% to 9.6%), Greece (from 23.4% to 20.8% between December 2016 and December 2017) and Croatia (from 12.0% to 9.6%).