In the euro area (EA19), the job vacancy rate stood at 2.3 percent in the second quarter of 2019, remaining stable on quarter and increasing from 2.1 percent on year, according to figures published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU.

In the EU28, the job vacancy rate likewise stood at 2.3 percent, remaining stable on quarter and increasing from 2.2 percent on year.

In the euro area, the job vacancy rate in the second quarter of 2019 was 2 percent in industry and construction, and 2.6 percent in services. In the EU28, the rate stood at 2.1 percent in industry and construction, and 2.6 percent in services.

Compared with the second quarter of 2018, the second quarter job vacancy rate increased in ten member states, remained stable in nine and fell in another nine.

Among those member states for whom comparable data was available, the highest job vacancy rates in the second quarter of 2019 were recorded in the Czech Republic at 6.2 percent, and Belgium and the Netherlands, both at 3.4 percent. The lowest rates, meanwhile, were observed in Greece at 0.7 percent, and in Bulgaria and Spain at 0.7 percent each.

Of neighboring countries, Latvia's rate stood at 3.2 percent, up 0.5 percent on year; in Lithuania, the indicator declined 0.1 percentage points on year to 1.4 percent, while the rates in Finland and Sweden alike remained steady on year at 2.1 and 2.7 percent, respectively.

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