1.1. Contact organisation
[4D0] European Commission (including Eurostat)
1.2. Contact organisation unit
[4D1_E2] Eurostat - Environmental statistics and accounts; sustainable development
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
European Commission
Eurostat – Statistical Office of the European Union
L-2920 Luxembourg
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
24 March 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
20 April 2026
2.3. Metadata last update
20 April 2026
The indicator is part of the EU Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicator set. It is used to monitor progress towards SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth, which is embedded in the European Commission’s Priorities under ‘A new plan for Europe's sustainable prosperity and competitiveness’ and ‘Supporting people, strengthening our societies and our social model’.
SDG 8, among other things, calls for providing opportunities for full and productive employment and decent work for all.
The indicator is also included in the Social Scoreboard for the European Pillar of Social Rights.
The European pillar of social rights sets out a number of key principles and rights to support fair and well-functioning labour markets and welfare systems. It serves as a compass for a renewed process of convergence towards better working and living conditions among participating member states. It is primarily conceived for the euro area, but is applicable to all member states wishing to participate. The Active Inclusion Approach is a Commission recommendation to enable every citizen, notably the most disadvantaged, to fully participate in society, including having a job.
The European Pillar of Social Rights sets out 20 key principles and rights essential for fair and well-functioning labour markets and social protection systems. The European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, adopted in 2021, turns the Principles into concrete actions to benefit citizens. It also proposes an ambitious employment target of 78 % of the population aged 20 to 64 for the EU to reach by 2030. In support of this, the Action Plan proposes to halve the gender employment gap by 2030 compared with 2019 and to decrease the rate of young people neither in employment nor in education or training (NEET) aged 15 to 29 to 9 % by 2030.
4.1. Data description
The indicator measures the share of the population in the labour force aged 15 to 74 who has been unemployed for 12 months or more. Population in the labour force are those who are either employed or unemployed. Unemployed persons are defined as persons aged 15-74 who were without work during the reference week, were currently available to start working within the next two weeks and were either actively seeking work in the last four weeks or had already found a job to start within the next three months. The unemployment period is defined as the duration of a job search, or as the length of time since the last job was held (if shorter than the time spent on a job search).
The indicator is part of the Labour Force Survey (LFS) main indicators, where the series are adjusted (seasonal adjustment) and break-corrected, and should consequently not be compared with the indicators in the annual and quarterly detailed series, which are not adjusted and not break-corrected. Results might occasionally be slightly different.
4.2. Unit of measure
% of total active population by sex.
4.3. Reference Period
Calendar year
4.4. Accuracy - overall
The indicator is produced according to the high-level quality standards of European Statistics. Details on accuracy can be found in the metadata of the source datasets (see link to related metadata).
4.5. Source data
4.5.1. Source data - Organisation
ESS (LFS)
4.5.2. Source data - Comment
Data source: ESS Labour Force Survey (LFS)
Data provider: Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, based on data reported by the countries.
5.1. Frequency of dissemination
5.1.1. Frequency of dissemination - Grade
Every year5.1.2. Frequency of dissemination - Comment
The indicator is updated annually in April. Complete and updated ESS data release information can be accessed via Eurostat release calendar.
5.2. Timeliness
5.2.1. Timeliness - Grade
T+1 year5.2.2. Timeliness - Comment
New data points are disseminated by the end of April after the reference year.
6.1. Reference area
6.1.1. Reference Area - Grade
All EU MS6.1.2. Reference Area - Comment
Data are presented for all EU Member States plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Türkiye.
6.2. Comparability - geographical
6.2.1. Comparability - geographical - Grade
All EU MS6.2.2. Comparability - geographical - Comment
Data are comparable between all EU Member States respectively other presented countries.
6.3. Coverage - Time
6.3.1. Time Coverage - Grade
> 10 years6.3.2. Time Coverage - Comment
Presented time series (including EU aggregates) starts in 2009.
6.4. Comparability - over time
6.4.1. Comparability - over time - Grade
> 4 data points6.4.2. Comparability - over time - Comment
Fully comparable since 2009 for the EU aggregate with some exceptions at the country level over the years.
7.1. Dissemination format - Publications
Analysis of indicator is presented in Eurostat's annual monitoring report on Sustainable development in the EU (progress towards the SDGs in an EU context).
7.2. Dissemination format - online database
see table sdg_08_40
7.3. Dissemination format - other
Eurostat dedicated section on SDGs: Eurostat overview.
Copyrights: Eurostat Copyright/Licence Policy is applicable.
