On February 1, 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 December last year, stable compared to November. The unemployment rate in the region has risen markedly compared to 10 percent recorded in December 2011. The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in the euro area was 11.7 percent in December 2012, also stable compared to November, while it was 10.7 percent in December of the previous year.
Compared to December 2011, the unemployment rate in the EU-27 in December last year fell in seven states and increased in 20 states.
Among the EU-27 member states, in December the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria at 4.3 percent, in Germany and Luxembourg, both at 5.3 percent, and in the Netherlands at 5.8 percent. The highest unemployment rates were seen in Greece at 26.8 percent (in October 2012) and in Spain at 26.1 percent.