Brussels, 02/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - The euro area unemployment rate stood at 7.5% in August 2008, compared with 7.4% in July. It was 7.4% in August 2007. The EU27 unemployment rate was 6.9% in August 2008, unchanged compared with July. It was 7.1% in August 2007.
Eurostat estimates published on Wednesday 1 October, illustrated that 16.572 million men and women in the EU27, of which 11.596 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in August 2008. Compared with July 2008, the number of persons unemployed increased by 67 000 in the EU27 and by 90 000 in the euro area. Compared with August 2007, unemployment fell by 225 000 in the EU27 but rose by 272 000 in the euro area. 19 member states recorded a fall in their unemployment rate and eight an increase. The largest fall was observed in Poland (9.2% to 6.7%), and the highest increase in Spain (8.3% to 11.3%). The lowest unemployment rates were registered in the Netherlands (2.6%) and Denmark (2.9% in July 2008), and the highest in Spain (11.3%) and Slovakia (9.9%). In August 2008, the unemployment rates stood at 6.1% in the USA and 4.2% in Japan. (A.B./transl.rh)