Unemployment trends in the European Union Member States, February 2025
Released: 2 April 2025
In February 2025 (based on seasonally adjusted data), the unemployment rate in the European Union was 5.7%, down by 0.1 percentage points compared with a month earlier and 0.4 percentage points compared with February 2024. Unemployment was lowest in Poland (2.6%), Czechia and Malta (both 2.7%), highest in Spain (10.4%) and Sweden (9.0%).
In February 2025, the unemployment rate1 in Hungary was 4.3%, the same as in February 2024 and one month earlier. In terms of unemployment rate, Hungary was ranked 9th best among the Member States. Among the V4, unemployment was higher than in Hungary in Slovakia (5.0%) and lower in Poland and Czechia (2.6% and 2.7% respectively).
The number of unemployed in Hungary, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 212 thousand in February 2025. In the period December 2024 to February 2025, the average duration of job search increased from 9.1 months to 12.6 months compared to a year earlier, and the share of long-term unemployed (at least one year) rose from 33% to 37%.
According to the administrative data of the National Employment Service, by the end of February 2025 the number of registered jobseekers increased by 0.9% compared to the previous month, and decreased by 1.3% to 232 thousand compared to a year earlier.
According to the March 2025 forecast of the National Bank of Hungary, the unemployment rate will be between 4.2–4.3% in 2025 and 3.6–4.1% in 2026. The OECD forecast expects a slow decline from the first quarter of 2025 – starting from a base estimated at 4.6% – and estimates the rate at 4.5% for 2025 as a whole and 4.0% for 2026. Trading Economics forecasts the domestic unemployment rate to rise to 4.7% by the fourth quarter of 2025 and then to fall to 4.0% by the first quarter of 2026, while the IMF forecasts a rate of 4.2% for 2025 as a whole and 4.1% for 2026.
Table 1
Seasonally adjusted unemployment, February 2025
Unemployment rates
Number of unemployed persons
(%)
(in thousands)
European Union average
5.7
12 677
Euro area
6.1
10 580
Belgium
5.9
322
Bulgaria
3.9
118
Czechia
2.7
145
Denmark
5.7
186
Germany
3.5
1 565
Estonia
7.7
57
Ireland
3.9
111
Greece
8.6
405
Spain
10.4
2 544
France
7.4
2 327
Croatia
4.6
80
Italy
5.9
1 517
Cyprus
4.9
25
Latvia
6.9
65
Lithuania
6.6
102
Luxembourg
6.5
23
Hungary
4.3
212
Malta
2.7
9
Netherlands
3.8
392
Austria
5.3
247
Poland
2.6
466
Portugal
6.4
354
Romania
5.6
457
Slovenia
3.2
34
Slovakia
5.0
140
Finland
8.8
251
Sweden
9.0
517
Source: Eurostat, Euro indicators – Unemployment, February 2025. (1 April 2025)
Figure 1
Footnotes
-
In February 2025, the unemployment rate in Hungary was 4.3% based on seasonally adjusted data and 4.5% based on unadjusted data. Eurostat's Euro indicators page uses seasonally adjusted data for the 15–74 age group in its monthly unemployment report, while the HCSO's first release on employment and unemployment uses unadjusted data. ↩
Released: 2 April 2025
In February 2025 (based on seasonally adjusted data), the unemployment rate in the European Union was 5.7%, down by 0.1 percentage points compared with a month earlier and 0.4 percentage points compared with February 2024. Unemployment was lowest in Poland (2.6%), Czechia and Malta (both 2.7%), highest in Spain (10.4%) and Sweden (9.0%).
In February 2025, the unemployment rate1 in Hungary was 4.3%, the same as in February 2024 and one month earlier. In terms of unemployment rate, Hungary was ranked 9th best among the Member States. Among the V4, unemployment was higher than in Hungary in Slovakia (5.0%) and lower in Poland and Czechia (2.6% and 2.7% respectively).
The number of unemployed in Hungary, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 212 thousand in February 2025. In the period December 2024 to February 2025, the average duration of job search increased from 9.1 months to 12.6 months compared to a year earlier, and the share of long-term unemployed (at least one year) rose from 33% to 37%.
According to the administrative data of the National Employment Service, by the end of February 2025 the number of registered jobseekers increased by 0.9% compared to the previous month, and decreased by 1.3% to 232 thousand compared to a year earlier.
According to the March 2025 forecast of the National Bank of Hungary, the unemployment rate will be between 4.2–4.3% in 2025 and 3.6–4.1% in 2026. The OECD forecast expects a slow decline from the first quarter of 2025 – starting from a base estimated at 4.6% – and estimates the rate at 4.5% for 2025 as a whole and 4.0% for 2026. Trading Economics forecasts the domestic unemployment rate to rise to 4.7% by the fourth quarter of 2025 and then to fall to 4.0% by the first quarter of 2026, while the IMF forecasts a rate of 4.2% for 2025 as a whole and 4.1% for 2026.
Seasonally adjusted unemployment, February 2025
| Unemployment rates | Number of unemployed persons | |
|---|---|---|
| (%) | (in thousands) | |
| European Union average | 5.7 | 12 677 |
| Euro area | 6.1 | 10 580 |
| Belgium | 5.9 | 322 |
| Bulgaria | 3.9 | 118 |
| Czechia | 2.7 | 145 |
| Denmark | 5.7 | 186 |
| Germany | 3.5 | 1 565 |
| Estonia | 7.7 | 57 |
| Ireland | 3.9 | 111 |
| Greece | 8.6 | 405 |
| Spain | 10.4 | 2 544 |
| France | 7.4 | 2 327 |
| Croatia | 4.6 | 80 |
| Italy | 5.9 | 1 517 |
| Cyprus | 4.9 | 25 |
| Latvia | 6.9 | 65 |
| Lithuania | 6.6 | 102 |
| Luxembourg | 6.5 | 23 |
| Hungary | 4.3 | 212 |
| Malta | 2.7 | 9 |
| Netherlands | 3.8 | 392 |
| Austria | 5.3 | 247 |
| Poland | 2.6 | 466 |
| Portugal | 6.4 | 354 |
| Romania | 5.6 | 457 |
| Slovenia | 3.2 | 34 |
| Slovakia | 5.0 | 140 |
| Finland | 8.8 | 251 |
| Sweden | 9.0 | 517 |
Footnotes
-
In February 2025, the unemployment rate in Hungary was 4.3% based on seasonally adjusted data and 4.5% based on unadjusted data. Eurostat's Euro indicators page uses seasonally adjusted data for the 15–74 age group in its monthly unemployment report, while the HCSO's first release on employment and unemployment uses unadjusted data. ↩