The figures for the third quarter of 2003 for the working population of the A.C. of the Basque Country show a figure of 905,000 people in employment, 9,800 more than in the previous quarter, according to the Survey on Population in Relation to Activity (PRA) published by Eustat. Elsewhere, the unemployment rate fell from 8.4% in the previous quarter to 8.1%. These figures confirm the trends observed in the second quarter of 2003 showing the growth of the employed population and the lessening of the unemployed one.

With relation to the previous quarter, the number of unemployed fell by 2,800 and the unemployment rate by 0.3 per cent. As a result of the evolution of the employed and unemployed populations, the activity rate stands at 55%.

The male unemployment rate fell to 6.1%, a variation of point two per cent, and the female rate, although much higher (10,9%) fell by half a point. The youth unemployment rate went down by one and a half per cent, affecting one out of every five young active persons from 16 to 24 (21 %).

According to EUROSTAT –Statistical Office of the European Union-, in August 2003 the Euro Zone unemployment rate stood at 8.8%, point seven per cent higher than that of the A.C. of the Basque Country in the third quarter of 2003. As in other periods, the rate of the European Union as a whole (8%) was lower than that of the Euro Zone.

Nearly four out of every five people who left the numbers of the unemployed were women

The number of unemployed men, some 35,000, fell by 500. Among women, there was a fall of 2,200 unemployed in the latest quarter, a figure that now stands at 44,800. Although both groups fell in number, there continues to be great differences. There was a notable fall in the number of unemployed young people aged 16 to 24 (-1,200) and also in the over-45 age group, with 1,000 less.

The unemployment rates in Bizkaia and Alava fell, while in Gipuzkoa there was a rise of point three percent.

The number of unemployed, which stands at 79,800 in the third quarter, fell in Álava and especially in Bizkaia. Álava lost 300 unemployed, out of a group of 11,100 people without work; the unemployment rate in Álava now stands at 7.4%. In Bizkaia there are 42,000 people unemployed, 3,700 less than three months ago, the rate being 8.3%. In Gipuzkoa, with a total of 26,800, there was a rise of 1,300 people, leaving its rate at 8.1%.

Elsewhere, the number of people seeking their first job rose (+2,600).

Employment rises in the three provinces

The number of employed stands at 905,000, 9,800 more than three months ago, which means an employment record for the Basque economy. Employment rose in each of the three provinces, with Bizkaia achieving the best absolute results (5,300 jobs) and relative ones (+1.2%). In Gipuzkoa the total rose by 2,900 people (+1.0%) and the increase in Álava was of 1,600 (+1.2%).

The Services sector, with 5,600 more jobs and Construction, with 4,100, account for the main increase in employment

In relation to the 2nd quarter of 2003, the number of employed rose in three of the four economic sectors: in Services, with 5,600 more employees, in Construction 4,100 more and in Industry 1,400, the latter figure of some importance, since the rise in industrial employment follows a year of setbacks. Agriculture lost 400 employees.

The increase in the employed population of the A.C. of the Basque Country, as regards sex, affects both men and women, but it is the former that experienced a notable evolution in employment with 7,300 more than in the previous quarter –three out of every four new employees-.

The employment rate, the percentage of employed people over the total population aged 16 to 64, stands at 64%, point seven per cent more than three months ago. This rate for men comes to 76.1%, while for women it is a mere 51.9%.

By provinces, the highest employment rate remains that of Álava with 68.1%, an increase of half a per cent. It is followed by Gipuzkoa with 67.4% and an increase of point six per cent. Bizkaia has the lowest rate, with 61%, and an increase of 0.8 per cent in relation to the second quarter of 2003.

As regards households, there are 8,900 more with all their active members in employment, while there was a fall of 800 households in which all the active members are unemployed. There was a notable decrease in the number of households without active members (-5,600). In almost two out of three families all the members are employed –64.2%-, while in 2.5% they are all unemployed.

In the last year the employment rate has risen 2.6 per cent for women and fallen half a per cent for men

The employed population grew in relation to the third quarter of 2002 by 10,500 people, 1.2%. The employment rate increased by one per cent. For women the rise was 2.6 per cent, while for men there was a decrease of half a per cent. The employment rate in the three provinces increased by around one per cent in the last 12 months.

Over the last year, Industry continued to lose weight, with 5,700 less people employed, while there was an important increase in the Services sector with 9,000 more employees and in Construction (+5,900). Over this period the employment rate went up by one per cent.

The unemployment rate in Bizkaia fell 1.6 per cent in the last year, while it rose by just over one per cent in Gipuzkoa and Álava

Unemployment in the A.C. of the Basque Country fell by point one per cent in the last year. By sex, the rate for women fell 1.3 per cent, while for men it increased by over half a per cent. The youth unemployment rate rose by 2.3 per cent. By province, the increase was in Gipuzkoa (+1.6 per cent) and in Álava (+1.4). In Bizkaia the rate fell 1.6 per cent.