Brussels, 04/04/2005 (Agence Europe) - The rate of unemployment in February 2005 rose to 8.9% in the euro zone euro, a 0.1 percentage point increase compared to January and stable compared to February 2004. In the EU-25, it reached 8.9%, unchanged compared to the rate for January 2005 but 0.1 point below the rate for February 2004. Thirteen Member States recorded falls in their yearly unemployment rates, eleven experienced an increase and one remained stable. Lowest rates were observed in Ireland (4.3%), Luxembourg (4.4%), Austria and the United Kingdom (4.6%: data for December 2004), as well as for the Netherlands (4.7%: data for December 2004). Poland (18.1%), Slovakia (16.2%, despite a fall of 2 points over the year), Greece (10.5%: data for September 2004) and Spain (10.3%) had the highest rates. In February 2005, the USA and Japan saw respective unemployment rates of 5.4% and 4.6%.