COVID-19 Coronavirus: Eurostat, economic crisis severely impacts employment. Women and youth bearing the brunt

The economic crisis caused by coronavirus begins to negatively impact the labour market - even on a large scale. This is according to the data on unemployment in the EU released by Eurostat. “In May 2020, a third month marked by COVID-19 containment measures in most Member States, the euro area (19 countries with the single currency) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 7.4%, up from 7.3% in April 2020. The EU (27 EU Member States) unemployment rate was 6.7% in May 2020, up from 6.6% in April 2020”. Eurostat estimates that there is an army of unemployed in Europe: 14.366 million people, of whom over 12 million are in the euro area. Between April and May, the number of unemployed people increased by 253,000 in the EU and by 159,000 in the euro area. 2.815 million young people under 25 (15.7%) are without a job in the EU. Youth unemployment increased by 64,000 in the EU27. Eurostat also reports that in May 2020, the unemployment rate for women was 7.2% in the EU, up from 6.9% in April 2020. The unemployment rate for men was 6.4% in May 2020, stable compared with April 2020. In the euro area, the unemployment rate for women increased from 7.7% in April 2020 to 7.9% in May 2020 while it remained stable at 7.0% for men.
Valentina Bombelli