Unemployment around 350 thousand

In the period April-June 2007, the seasonally adjusted unemployment figure stood at 353 thousand. This is 4 thousand up on March-May this year. In the last six months, the number of unemployed has fallen by an average of 6 thousand a month.

Unemployment was 61 thousand lower than in the same period one year previously. The most substantial decrease occurred among 25-44 year-olds. In this age group unemployment fell by 53 thousand in the space of one year. Among the over-45 year-olds the decrease was less substantial, at 8 thousand. The number of unemployed young people hardly changed compared with the same month one year previously.

In April-June 4.6 of the total Dutch labour force were unemployed, compared with 5.5 percent in the same period last year. The unemployment rate among woman clearly exceeds that among men: 5.8 percent and 3.6 percent respectively.

Unemployment has been falling almost continuously for the last two years. At the moment, few consumers expect it to increase. In June, only 15 percent of consumers expected unemployment to rise in the next twelve months. Two years ago this percentage stood at 58, according to the Consumer Confidence Survey.

Unemployment, seasonally adjusted