20/04/2018 (Agence Europe) – The employment rate among 20-64 year-olds in the EU was 72.2% in 2017, according to figures released by Eurostat on Friday 20 April, compared with 71.1% in 2016. EU Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner Marianne Thyssen said this was good news and if the employment rate continues to rise at this rate, the employment target of 75% in the EUROPE 2020 strategy will be reached. A third of member states have already reached their targets, viz. Sweden, Germany, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia, Ireland, Malta and Croatia, but differences persist, such as among the sexes. At European level, the employment rate for men was 78% in 2017, compared with 76.9% for women. The report can be found at: https://bit.ly/2qOubxs . (PH)