Brussels, 31/08/2007 (Agence Europe) - In July 2007, unemployment in the eurozone stood at 6.9%, changed on June and down from 7.8% in July 2006. In the EU27, unemployment stood at 6.8% in July 2007 compared with 6.9% in June and 7.9% in July 2006. The lowest levels of unemployment were recorded in Denmark (3.2%), the Netherlands (3.4%), Cyprus (4.1%) and Austria (4.3%), and the highest in Slovakia (10.6%) and Poland (9.7%).
Twenty-three member states registered falls in unemployment over the past year and four a rise in unemployment. The greatest falls were recorded in Bulgaria (from 9.4% to 6.6%) and Poland (from 13.6% to 9.7%). The greatest increases were recorded in Portugal (from 7.5% to 8.2%) and Ireland (from 4.4% to 4.7%). The unemployment rate among men over the past twelve months fell form 6.7% to 5.8% in the eurozone and from 7.1% to 6.1% in the EU27, while the unemployment rate among women fell from 9.2% to 8.3% in the eurozone and from 8.8% to 7.8% in the EU27. Unemployment in the United States stood at 4.6% in July 2007, while unemployment in Japan stood at 3.7% in June 2007. (ab)