Employment in the euro zone rises slightly in first quarter

The number of people employed in the euro zone rose by 0.1 per cent in the first three months of 2014 compared with the previous quarter, according to new figures published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

The data show employment rose by 0.2 per cent in the EU28 as against the fourth quarter of 2013.

Compared with the first three months of last year, employment rose by 0.2 per cent in the euro zone and by 0.7 per cent in the first quarter.

An estimated 224.2 million men and women were employed in the EU28, of which 146.1 million were in the euro zone, according to Eurostat.

Hungary, Latvia, the UK, the Czech Republic and Poland recorded the highest increases in employment during the three months under review. Cyprus, Portugal, Lithuania, Finland and Italy recorded the only decreases among EU Member States.