According to the latest figures from Statistics Netherlands, the number of registered unemployed in the period November 2001 to January 2002 was 146 thousand on average. Unemployment is therefore still stable. Compared with the same period last year, the number is 41 thousand lower.
Unemployment stable
In the months November 2001 to January 2002 an average 146 thousand people were registered as being unemployed in the Netherlands, eleven thousand more than in the months October to December 2001. However, as seasonal effects usually push up unemployment by nine thousand at this time of year, after removal of these effects the unemployment rate is two thousand higher than the last three-month average.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has been hovering between 135 and 150 thousand since the spring of last year. The changes are small and fall within the margins of error of the sample survey. Unemployment can therefore said to be steady and low. Compared with the same period last year, unemployment is now 41 thousand lower.
(source: Statistics Netherlands)
