STAT/07/174 12 December 2007
First estimate for the third quarter of 2007 Euro area and EU27 employment up by 0.3% +1.9% and +1.7% respectively compared to the third quarter of 2006
The seasonally adjusted number of persons employed in the euro area1 (EA13) rose by 0.3% (407 000 persons) during the third quarter of 2007, according to provisional national accounts estimates published by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities. During the same period, the number of persons employed in the EU271 grew also by 0.3% (668 000 persons). In the second quarter of 2007, growth rates were +0.6% in the euro area and +0.5% in the EU27.
Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, employment grew by 1.9% in the euro area and by 1.7% in the EU27 in the third quarter of 2007, after +1.8% and +1.6% respectively in the second quarter of 2007.
Eurostat estimates that, in the third quarter of 2007, 223.0 million men and women were employed in the EU27, of which 143.6 million were in the euro area. These figures are seasonally adjusted.
These quarterly data on employment provide a picture of labour input consistent with the output and income measures of national accounts.
[ Figures and graphics available in PDF and WORD PROCESSED ] [ Figures and graphics available in PDF and WORD PROCESSED ]
The euro area (EA13) consists of Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia and Finland.The EU27 includes Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Methodological information:
Estimates of employment in the European quarterly national accounts are compiled in accordance with the European System of Accounts 1995 (ESA95). National accounts measure employment alongside other variables such as GDP, output, compensation of employees, etc. ESA95 (chapter 11) defines employment in line with International Labour Organisation criteria.
Employment covers employees and self-employed working in resident production units (i.e. the domestic employment concept). Unless otherwise stated, all employment estimates in this release use persons as the measurement unit. ESA95 acknowledges other possible measures for employment: jobs, full-time equivalents and total hours worked.
The methodology used by Eurostat for this release is the same as for the European quarterly national accounts (for details see Eurostat press release 77/2006 of 14 June 2006, annex I). Estimates of employment in national accounts may differ from results of other statistics and surveys, in particular the labour force survey. For further details see press release 77/2006 of 14 June 2006, annex II. The estimate of 2007 Q3 employment growth presented in this release is based on Member States’ data, as available. For this quarter it covers 82% of employment in the euro area and the EU27.
More data on European quarterly national accounts are available on Eurostat's website ("Data" / "Economy and finance" / "National Accounts"). Additional general information on European national accounts is also available in the metadata files linked to the tables.
Release policy:
Eurostat publishes a first quarterly estimate of employment in national accounts 75 days after the end of the reference period (‘t+75 days’). There is a second estimate after t+105 days, published together with the second regular GDP release (scheduled for 9 January 2008). There is no specific employment News Release at t+105 days. As compared to the first employment estimate, the second one is based on more information and includes breakdowns by economic activity (6 NACE categories).
Euro area and EU employment figures for earlier quarters are revised in both first and second employment estimates.
Issued by: Eurostat Press Office Tim ALLEN Tel: +352-4301-33 444 eurostat-pressoffice@ec.europa.eu For further information on data: Luis BIEDMA Elena VAN ECK Tel: +352-4301-34 728 +352-4301-30 128 estat-gdp-query@ec.europa.eu Eurostat news releases on the Internet: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat Selected Principal European Economic Indicators:
http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/euroindicators
Employment growth rates*
Percentage change compared with the previous quarter Percentage change compared with the same quarter of the previous year 2006 2007 2006 2007 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 EA13 0.4 0.7 0.6 0.3 1.5 1.8 1.8 1.9 EU27 0.3 0.5 0.5 0.3 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.7 Member States Belgium 0.4 0.5 0.4 : 1.6 1.6 1.7 : Bulgaria : : : : 2.5 4.2 2.3 : Czech Republic : : : : 2.3 2.1 1.6 1.5 Denmark 0.9 1.1 -0.2 0.7 2.5 3.3 2.5 2.5 Germany 0.3 0.8 0.3 0.2 1.0 1.9 1.7 1.6 Estonia 0.2 0.3 0.1 : 4.7 0.8 0.6 : Ireland 0.8 0.8 0.8 : 3.9 3.5 3.3 : Greece : : : : : : : : Spain 0.9 1.0 1.1 0.3 3.1 3.5 3.5 3.2 France 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.0 Italy 0.3 0.4 0.8 0.3 1.5 0.7 0.7 1.7 Cyprus : : : : 2.5 2.8 3.7 : Latvia 0.0 -0.8 2.0 0.7 4.9 2.7 4.4 1.9 Lithuania 0.9 1.6 0.7 -0.6 0.8 1.8 3.1 2.0 Luxembourg 1.0 1.0 1.1 : 4.0 3.8 4.0 : Hungary : : : : 0.8 0.5 0.2 -0.1 Malta : : : : 1.4 1.3 2.7 2.2 Netherlands 0.6 : : : 2.3 : : : Austria 0.4 0.6 0.1 0.5 1.1 1.9 2.2 2.3 Poland : : : : 1.7 1.8 1.9 2.2 Portugal : : : : : : : : Romania : : : : : : : : Slovenia 0.6 0.7 0.7 : 1.7 2.3 2.7 2.7 Slovakia 0.8 0.3 -0.1 0.8 2.3 2.2 2.0 2.0 Finland 0.0 0.6 1.0 0.4 1.5 1.7 2.9 2.2 Sweden : : : : 2.1 2.7 2.5 2.0 United Kingdom 0.2 -0.2 0.3 0.2 1.0 0.3 0.6 0.7 EFTA countries Norway 0.7 0.8 1.2 0.8 3.8 3.4 3.8 3.6 :Data not available
*Percentage change in the number of persons employed in resident production units compared to the previous quarter based on seasonally adjusted data. Percentage change compared to the same quarter of the previous year based on non-seasonally adjusted data.
