The three-point fall across the EU came as a result of fluctuations across the major European markets. Italy reported the largest increase in online recruitment activity among the major markets, while Belgium and France also saw growth. These rises were outweighed by contractions in the Netherlands, UK, Germany and Sweden. On an annual basis, online recruitment activity fell most in the Netherlands, UK and Sweden. The fall in March reflected continuing harsh economic conditions in the EU, as numerous large companies reorganised to lessen their exposure.

The Monster Employment Index Europe is a monthly analysis of millions of online job opportunities culled from a large, representative selection of corporate career sites and job boards across Europe, including Monster.

The Monster Employment Index Europe fell by three points in March as online recruitment activity and related job opportunities receded following a rise in February

- The majority of the markets saw decreased opportunities, with only Italy, France and Belgium registering more offers in March

- Year-on-year, the Index remained down, dropping 58 points, or 34 percent since March 2008

- Across industry sectors, the steepest declines were reported in marketing, PR and media; environment; engineering; and automotive

- Sectors reporting an increase in online worker demand included agriculture, education, and public. Meanwhile, education, training and library; healthcare; and hospitality and tourism all showed positive annual growth