On November 30, 2012, Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, reported that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the European Union member states (EU-27) was 10.7 percent in October this year, up from 10.6 percent in September. The unemployment rate in the region was 9.9 percent in October 2011. The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in the euro area was 11.7 percent in October, also up compared to September, while it was 10.4 percent in October last year.
Compared to October 2011, the unemployment rate in the EU-27 in October this year fell in nine states, increased in 16 and remained stable in Austria and Slovenia.
Among the EU-27 member states, in October the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria at 4.3 percent, in Luxembourg at 5.1 percent, in Germany at 5.4 percent and in the Netherlands at 5.5 percent .The highest unemployment rates were seen in Spain at 26.2 percent and in Greece at 25.4 percent (in August).