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We may be closer to the next recession than the last one, but Eurofound published some figures this week that gave an insight into employment trends during the turbulent period between the second quarter of 2008 and the second quarter of 2010.
The recession hit EU countries in different ways when it came to employment. Some were affected only very slightly, losing a small percentage of their work force. Others, towards the top of our list, were impacted a little bit more.
Though the figures here represent the change in employment from Q2 2008 to Q2 2010, it is interesting to note when unemployment started to rise in each nation and when it stopped. For some, the decline was already coming before 2008.
Overall there was a net loss of 5 million jobs in the EU. The Eurozone saw a 2.3 percent drop in employment during the period.
So, who got hit hardest?
#20 France
Wikimedia Commons
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 0.7 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 1.7 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q3 2008-Q1 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
#19 Austria
Claus Rebler on flickr
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 0.9 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 1.1 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q3 2008-Q1 2009
SOURCE: Eurofound
#18 Netherlands
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 1 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 1.5 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q4 2008-Q3 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
#17 Sweden
ulrich_berkner via flickr
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 1.6 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 1.6 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q3 2008-Q1 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
# 16 Hungary
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 2.3 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 0.8 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q3 2007-Q1 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
Tied #14 UK
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 2.4 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 0.8 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q4 2007-Q1 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
Tied #14 Italy
Happier times.
Sam Javanrouh / flickr
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 2.4 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 1.5 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q2 2008-Q1 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
#13 Slovenia
The Football Shirt
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 2.5 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 1 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q3 2008-Q3 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
#12 Czech Republic
Wikimedia Commons
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 2.6 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 0.2 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q4 2008-Q1 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
#11 Greece
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 3.4 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 1.4 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q3 2008-Q3 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
#10 Finland
Flickr/Ari Helminen
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 3.6 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 1.5 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q3 2008-Q1 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
#9 Slovakia
HatM / Flickr
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 3.6 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 0.8 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q3 2008-Q1 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
#8 Portugal
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 4.7 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 0.6 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q2 2008-Q3 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
#7 Denmark
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 4.9 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 0.4 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q2 2008-Q1 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
#6 Bulgaria
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 8.6 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 1.9 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q3 2008-Q1 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
#5 Spain
AP
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 9.6 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 5.3 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q3 2007-Q1 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
#4 Ireland
Wikimedia Commons
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 12 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 4.7 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q3 2007-Q1 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
#3 Lithuania
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 13 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 0.4 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q3 2007-Q2 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
#2 Estonia
AP
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 15.2 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 0.7 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q3 2008-Q1 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
And, #1 Latvia
Percentage decrease in employment during recession: 16.2 percent
Average annual employment growth 1998-2007: 1.4 percent
Period of employment decrease: Q4 2007-Q1 2010
SOURCE: Eurofound
