The number of employed persons in the Euro Area rose by 0.1% from the previous quarter to 176.577 million in the second quarter of 2026, matching the pace recorded in the first quarter and in line with market expectations, according to a preliminary estimate. This marked the bloc’s 21st consecutive quarter of employment growth, prolonging a slow but steady expansion in the European labor market despite economic headwinds from elevated energy prices and weak productivity.
Job creation remained robust in Spain, where employment increased by 0.5% (up from 0.3% in Q1). In contrast, net employment in France was broadly flat for a third consecutive quarter. Meanwhile, employment in Germany declined for the fifth quarter in a row, falling by 0.1%, the same rate as in the previous period. On a year-on-year basis, Eurozone employment growth was unchanged at 0.5%.
