Band 8+: The graph below compares the percentage of unemployed workers in the European Union (all workers) with the percentages in the three categories, Professional, Manual and Self-employed. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The line graph illustrates the proportion of unemployed workers in the European Union from 1990 to 1999.

Overall, the total employement rate increased, with the self-employed workers accounting for the highest figure. While the percentage of professional workers in unemployment returned to its starting point, the unemployment among both self-employed and manual workers rose considerably, albeit at different rates.

In detail, around 5% of all workers were unemployed in 1990 and the figure fell slightly to 4% in 1992, before increasing considerably to just above 12% in 1997, following a decline to 10% by 1999. To be specific, roughly 7% of self-employed workers were in unemployment a the outset, before the figure peaked at just above 14%, the highest rate of joblesness, in 1994. Then, it dropped sharply to around 8%, followed by a slight increase to close to 10% by 1999.

Meanwhile, self-employed employees recorded 6% of unemployment in 1990. Although the figure fell slightly to approximately 5%, it experienced the most drastic growth, reaching around 12-13% in 1999 and overtaking the unemployment rate of manual employees.

In contrast, professional workers recorded the lowest unemployment, starting at 2% before finishing at close to this figure by the end of the period, despite a decrease in 1992 and a considerable rise in 1997.