Brussels, 04/07/2005 (Agence Europe) - Euro-zone seasonally-adjusted unemployment stood at 8.8% in May 2005, compared to 8.9% in April. It was 8.9% in May 2004. The EU25 unemployment rate was 8.8% in May 2005, compared to 8.9% in April. It was 9.1% in May 2004. In May 2005, the lowest rates were registered in Ireland (4.2%), Austria (4.6%), the United Kingdom (4.6% in March), Luxembourg (4.7%) and Denmark (4.9% in April). Unemployment rates were highest in Poland (17.8%),Slovakia (15.5%), Greece (10.2% in December 2004), Spain (9.9%) and France (9.8%). Amongst the Member States, fourteen recorded a decrease in their unemployment rate (especially Lithuania, Estonia, Slovakia and Denmark; nine an increase (over a year, two remained stable and nine reported an increase (Luxembourg, Cyprus and Portugal registered the highest increases and two countries the level remained stable. In May 2005, the US unemployment rate was 5.1% and the Japanese rate was 4.4% in April.