The euro area seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 11.7% in October 2012, up from 11.6% in September. The EU unemployment rate in October 2012 was 10.7%, higher than September. In October 2012, the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria, Luxembourg, Germany and the Netherlands, and the highest in Spain and Greece.

Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, published its figures for the unemployment rates registered in the euro area and in the EU in October 2012. According to Eurostat, the euro area seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 11.7% in October 2012, up from 11.6% in September. The EU unemployment rate was 10.7% in October 2012, up from 10.6% in September. In both zones, rates have risen markedly compared with October 2011, when they were 10.4% and 9.9% respectively. In September 2012 in comparison with August 2012, the unemployment rate registered a slight increase in the euro area.

With regard to the data registered in October 2012 in comparison with September 2012 by member states, the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria (4.3%), Luxembourg (5.1%), Germany (5.4%) and the Netherlands (5.5%), and the highest in Spain (26.2%) and Greece (25.4% in August 2012).

Besides, in October 2012 5.678 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU, of whom 3.609 million were in the euro area. In October 2012, the youth unemployment rate was 23.4% in the EU and 23.9% in the euro area, compared with 21.9% and 21.2% respectively in October 2011. In October 2012 the lowest rates were observed in Germany (8.1%), Austria (8.5%) and the Netherlands (9.8%) and the highest in Greece (57.0% in August 2012) and Spain (55.9%).