According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) unemployed persons comprise all persons who have no paid or self employed employment, are at present seeking employment and are available for work.

Since 2002 the way of making this definition operational has changed following European Commission Regulation 1897/2000. From this year, persons considered as unemployed are those who, besides complying with the above conditions, have taken during the previous four weeks some of the employment seeking steps considered specific in the Regulation. Specific employment seeking steps do not include renewing registration ("stamping the card") or contacting the public employment office with regard to training courses.