Employment in Cyprus recorded one of the highest decline in EU27 in the third quarter of 2012.

Specifically, the number of employees in the country declined by 3.2% compared with the third quarter of 2011. In the second quarter of 2012 compared to the corresponding period of 2011, employment in Cyprus was reduced by 3% while in the first quarter the annual decline was 2.4%.

In the eurozone, the data showed a decrease in employment by 0.7% compared with the third quarter of 2011, while in EU27 the decline was restricted to 0.5%.

Compared with the second quarter of 2012 in EU27 and the euro area, reduction in employment stood at 0.2%.

In Greece, employment decreased 8.9% in the third quarter against a decline of 9.1% in the second quarter, recording the highest drop in EU27.

A decrease of 4.1% was registered in employment in Spain, 4.1% in Portugal and 3.5% in Poland.

According to Eurostat data, in the third quarter of 2012, 222.6 million men and women were employed in the EU, 146 million of who were in the eurozone.