Employment in the 28-nation European Union stood at an average of 68% by the end of 2013. The figures are for those people aged between 20 and 64 years of age.
From 2002 employment rates rose steadily reaching a high of 70% in 2008. But the financial crisis drove rates down, albeit gradually.
The pattern in Portugal, however, was much different. Starting from a high of 74% of its people in employment in 2002, the rate then fell steadily over every following year. By 2013, some 65.6% of people had work.
Portugal was the only country of the 28 to have experienced a continuous fall since 2002.
Germany and Malta were the only two member nations where there has been continuous growth since 2002 without suffering any drop as a result of the global financial crisis beginning in 2008.
Employment in all other countries fell in 2008, although some – such as France, the UK, and Sweden – have begun to recover.
The highest rates of employment were observed in 2013 in Sweden, Germany (77%), the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria and the UK (75%).
Countries suffering the lowest rates were Greece (53%), Croatia, Spain and Italy (60%).
