16/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - Employment rate slightly improved. According to estimates published by the EU's statistical office, Eurostat, on Tuesday 16 June, the employment rate progressed by 0.1% in the eurozone and by 0.3% in the whole EU in the first quarter of 2015 compared with the last quarter of 2014. Latvia and Hungary (+1.5% each) recorded the highest levels of growth in the first quarter of 2015 compared with the previous quarter. They were followed by Estonia (+0.9%), Spain (+0.8%), the Czech Republic, Ireland, Portugal and the United Kingdom (+0.7% each). Greece (-0.8%) and Malta (-0.4%) recorded decreases, while employment remained stable in Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands. (JK)