Unemployment in the European Union fell slightly in February and stood at 8.5 percent. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since December 2008. These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. 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.

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%).

And Croatia is highlighted in the new figures as the country saw one of the biggest drops in unemployment inside the EU. 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%). Of course one of the reasons for this drop in unemployment is the large number of Croatians who have moved to Germany, Ireland and Sweden looking for employment and a brighter future. It is estimated that around 200,000 Croatians have left in search of work in other European Union members.