25/04/2019 (Agence Europe) – The employment rate of the population aged 20-64 in the European Union reached a record high of 73.2% in 2018, one percentage point higher than the rate recorded a year earlier (see EUROPE 12006/22), according to figures provided by the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) on Thursday 25 April. It should be recalled that the EUROPE 2020 strategy aims to achieve an employment rate for this age group of at least 75% by 2020, with specific targets for each State. The employment rate of women aged 20 to 64 reached 67.4% last year, while that of men of the same age stood at 79%. The highest rates, by gender, were observed in Sweden (82.6%), the Czech Republic and Germany (79.9% for both countries). The lowest rates were recorded in Italy (63.0%) and Greece (59.5%). (LT)