Fall in Dutch unemployment stronger than EU average

Unemployment in the Netherlands has more than halved in the last four years. In the eleven original countries of the European Union unemployment rates have fallen by one fifth in the period 1997-2000.

Last year registered unemployment in the Netherlands was 15% lower than in 1999. This is a favourable decrease compared with the other countries in the EU.

Unemployment (changes on preceding year)

In Switzerland unemployment dropped by 30% last year for the second year running. The continuous economic growth in that country has pushed up employment by 2.3% (over 80,000 employees).

In 1996 and 1997 unemployment rose by more than 10% in Germany. In 1998 it fell slightly, and since then the rate of decrease has picked up each year

The number of people out of work in the US was 5% lower last year than in 1999. Although the decrease is slower than that in the European countries, US unemployment has now fallen for eight years in a row, and is now 60% lower than in 1993.

Frans van Ingen Schenau