The number of persons employed increased by 0.3% in the euro area (EA17) and by 0.2% in the EU27 in the second quarter of 2011 compared with the previous quarter, according to national accounts estimates published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In the first quarter of 2011, employment increased by 0.1% in both the euro area and the EU27. These figures are seasonally adjusted.

Financial services & business activities increased by 0.9% in the euro area and by 0.5% in the EU27. Trade, transport & communication services grew by 0.5% in the euro area and by 1.2% in the EU27. Manufacturing rose by 0.2% in the euro area and remained stable in the EU27. Construction gained 0.2% in the euro area, but fell by 1.0% in the EU27. Other services (which mainly include public administration, health and education) were stable in the euro area and fell by 0.3% in the EU27. Agriculture dropped by 0.5% in the euro area and by 0.6% in the EU27.

Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, employment grew by 0.4% in the euro area and 0.3% in the EU27 in the second quarter of 2011.

Eurostat estimates that, in the second quarter of 2011, 223.4 million men and women were employed in the EU27, of which 147.0 million were in the euro area. These figures are seasonally adjusted.

These quarterly data on employment provide a picture of labour input consistent with the output and income measure of national accounts.