Euro-zone unemployment down to 8.2 percent

The Euro-zone's seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate stood at 8.2 percent in February 2006, compared to 8.3 percent in January and 8.8 percent a year ago, Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Union (EU) announced on Tuesday.

The EU25 unemployment rate was 8.5 percent in February 2006, unchanged compared to January. It was 8.9 percent in February 2005, according to Eurostat.

In February 2006, the lowest rates were registered in Ireland (4.3 percent), Denmark and the Netherlands (both 4.4 percent), and Austria (5.1 percent). The latest information available for the United Kingdom, recorded in December, revealed a rate of 4.9 percent.

Meanwhile, February's unemployment rates were highest in Poland (17.0 percent), Slovakia (15.8 percent), Greece (9.6 percent in the fourth quarter 2005), France (9.1 percent) and Germany (8.9 percent).

Among the 25 EU member states, 17 recorded a decrease in their unemployment rate over a year, two remained stable and five reported an increase.

Eurostat estimated that, in February 2006, 12.0 million people were unemployed in the euro-zone and 18.4 million in the EU25.

By comparison, in February 2006, the U.S. unemployment rate was 4.8 percent and the Japanese rate was 4.1 percent.

Source: Xinhua