Employment rate figures published today by the EU make sorry reading for Malta.

The employment rate for persons aged 15-64 in the EU is the lowest in Malta at just 54.9%, followed by Hungary at 55.4 per cent. It is above 77 per cent in Denmark and the Netherlands.

Malta had the highest difference between male and female employment rates, at 34%. That was the result of the fact that the female employment rate in Malta is also the lowest, at 37.7 per cent.

The employment rate for those aged 55-64 is also lowest in Malta at 28.1 per cent.

Eurostat said the total employment rate or people aged 15-64 in the EU27 rose steadily from 62.4% in 2002 to 65.9% in 2008, but fell to 64.6% in 2009. The employment rate for women, which increased continuously from 53.7% in 2000 to 59.1% in 2008, dropped for the first time in 2009 to 58.6%.

In contrast, the rate for older people, i.e. those aged 55-64, has continued to grow, reaching 46.0% in 2009, compared with 36.9% in 2000 and 45.6% in 2008.

In 2009, 217.8 million resident persons in the EU27 aged 15 years or more had a job or a business activity.

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