The unemployment rate increased in the euro area and in the EU in February 2012 compared with January 2012. In particular, the EU unemployment rate was 10,2% and the euro area seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 10.8%. The lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany, and the highest in Spain and Greece.

According to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, compared with January 2012, the number of persons unemployed increased by 167,000 in the EU and by 162,000 in the euro area in February 2012. It reached therefore 10.2% in the EU and the 10.8% in the euro area. Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria (4.2%), the Netherlands (4.9%), Luxembourg (5.2%) and Germany (5.7%), and the highest in Spain (23.6%) and Greece (21.0% in December 2011).

In February 2012, 5.462 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU27, of whom 3.272 million were in the euro area, according to the figures published by Eurostat. The youth unemployment rate was therefore 22.4% in the EU and 21.6% in the euro area. In February 2011 it was 21.0% and 20.5% respectively. The lowest rates were observed in Germany (8.2%), Austria (8.3%) and the Netherlands (9.4%), and the highest in Spain (50.5%) and Greece (50.4% in December 2011).

Compared with a year ago, the largest unemployment rate falls were observed in Lithuania (17.5% to 14.3% between the fourth quarters of 2010 and 2011), Latvia (17.0% to 14.6% between the fourth quarters of 2010 and 2011) and Estonia (13.9% to 11.7% between the fourth quarters of 2010 and 2011). The highest increases were registered in Greece (14.3% to 21.0% between December 2010 and December 2011), Spain (20.6% to 23.6%) and Cyprus (6.7% to 9.7%).