Unemployment further down

An average 460 thousand people in the Netherlands were unemployed in the third quarter of 2004. After correction for seasonal effects total unemployment amounted to 460 thousand in this period. The most recent figures published by Statistics Netherlands show that unemployment, corrected for seasonal effects, fell for the fourth time in a row.

Unemployment was, however, 58 thousand up on the same quarter one year previously, when 402 thousand people were unemployed. In the third quarter of this year 6.0 percent of the labour force were unemployed as against 5.3 percent in the same quarter of 2003.

Unemployment also slightly decreasing over longer period

After correction for seasonal effects the unemployed labour force decreased by 10 thousand in the period July – September 2004 compared to the preceding quarterly perod. Unemployment is now falling over a longer period as well. In the last six months the number of unemployed dropped by an average 4 thousand a month.

Fewer young people unemployed in summer

In the third quarter of 2004 the number of young unemployed in the Netherlands totalled 125 thousand. In summer seasonal effects push up youth unemployment. The demand for holiday jobs increases and school-leavers start to compete on the labour market. In the period June – August unemployment among young people is traditionally higher than in the rest of the year. This year the peak in youth unemployment appears to be less substantial than in previous years. The peak was 17 thousand up on the period March – May 2004. In the summer of 2003 youth unemployment peaked at 24 thousand; in 2002 the peak was even higher at 42 thousand.

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