Long-term unemployment rises 28 percent

Despite the decreasing unemployment rate in the Netherlands, long-term unemployment is still rising. In the first quarter of this year 298 thousand people were unemployed for a year or longer, compared to 233 thousand in the same period last year. This is according to figures released by Statistics Netherlands on Friday. A total of 340 thousand men and 323 thousand women were unemployed in the first quarter of thi year. 47 per cent - 160 thousand - of the men have been unemployed for at least a year. Among women, 40 percent - 129 thousand - were unemployed long term. The long term unemployment rate in the Netherlands is relatively low compared to other EU countries. Last year 3.0 percent of the Dutch labor force were unemployed for at least a year. The European Union average was 5.1 percent.