Eurostat published its figures that show the euro area unemployment rate was 12.0% in February 2013, stable compared with January. The EU unemployment rate was 10.9%, up from 10.8% in the previous month. The highest unemployment rates were registered in Greece (26.4% in December 2012), Spain (26.3%) and Portugal (17.5%).

Eurostat the statistical office of the European Union, published its figures with regard to the unemployment rates registered in February 2013 in the euro area and in the EU. According to these figures, the euro area unemployment rate was 12.0% in February 2013, stable compared with January. Compared also with January, the EU unemployment rate in February 2013 was 10.9%, up from 10.8%. In both zones, rates have risen markedly compared with February 2012, when they were 10.9% and 10.2% respectively. In January 2013, the EU unemployment rate was 10.8%, up from 10.7% in the previous month.

With regard to the figures registered by member states, the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria (4.8%), Germany (5.4%), Luxembourg (5.5%) and the Netherlands (6.2%), and the highest in Greece (26.4% in December 2012), Spain (26.3%) and Portugal (17.5%). Compared with a year ago, the highest increases were registered in Greece (21.4% to 26.4% between December 2011 and December 2012), Cyprus (10.2% to 14.0%), Portugal (14.8% to 17.5%) and Spain (23.9% to 26.3%). The largest decreases were observed in Latvia (15.6% to 14.3% between the fourth quarters of 2011 and 2012), Estonia (10.8% to 9.9% between January 2012 and January 2013) and Ireland (15.1% to 14.2%).

In February 2013, the youth unemployment rate was 23.5% in the EU and 23.9% in the euro area, compared with 22.5% and 22.3% respectively in February 2012. In February 2013, the lowest rates were observed in Germany (7.7%), Austria (8.9%) and the Netherlands (10.4%), and the highest in Greece (58.4% in December 2012), Spain (55.7%), Portugal (38.2%) and Italy (37.8%).