Employment Rate Slightly Increases in Q1 2024

In the first quarter of 2024, the employment rate for individuals aged 20-64 in the EU rose to 75.7%, marking a 0.2 percentage point (pp) increase from the fourth quarter of 2023. 

Labour market slack, which includes those with unmet employment needs (primarily the unemployed), remained at 11.2% of the extended labour force aged 20-64, unchanged from the previous quarter.

Employment Rate Changes Across EU Countries

Between Q4 2023 and Q1 2024, employment rates varied across the EU:

- Highest Increases: Croatia (+1.8 pp), Slovenia (+1.3 pp), Bulgaria and Greece (both +0.9 pp)

- Stable Rates: Italy and Latvia

- Decreases: Cyprus, Estonia, and Lithuania saw the largest declines (all -0.5 pp)

These insights are based on the latest labor market data from Eurostat, with further details available in the full Statistics Explained article.