On October 31, Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, reported that in October this year the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the European Union member states (EU-28) was 10.9 percent, stable compared to September and up compared to the 10.7 percent recorded in October 2012. The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in the euro area was 12.1 percent in October this year, down slightly compared to September, while it was 11.7 percent in October last year.
Compared to October 2012, in October of the current year the unemployment rate in the EU-28 fell in 14 states and increased in 14 states.
Among the EU-28 member states, in October the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria (4.8%), Germany (5.2%) and Luxembourg (5.9%), and the highest in Greece (27.3% in August 2013) and in Spain (26.7%).