Spanish jobless rate one of highest in euroland 03/07/2007 00:00

3 July 2007

BRUSSELS - Spain's unemployment rate still remained high according to latest statistics from the European Union.

The unemployment rates for the entire European Union and the 13-nation euro currency zone both dropped to 7 percent in May, the EU statistics agency Eurostat said Tuesday.

Both reported 7.1 percent a month earlier.

Spain's rate stood at 8.2 percent, one of the highest.

The year-on-year rate _ which is seasonally adjusted _ has been falling steadily to levels not seen since 1993 as the European economy enjoys a strong burst of growth, adding jobs that should cut the number of jobseekers further this year and next year.

Eurostat said that 10.4 million people in the euro area and 16.4 million in the EU were seeking work in May.

Slovakia overtook Poland with the EU's highest unemployment rate of 10.8 percent, just ahead of Poland's 10.5 percent. France posted a provisional rate of 8.7 percent - the worst unemployment rate in the euro area.

The EU's largest economy, Germany, had a provisional rate of 6.6 percent, Eurostat said. The Netherlands had the lowest unemployment rate at 3.2 percent, followed by Denmark on 3.3 percent and Ireland on 4.1 percent.

Eurostat said the largest relative falls over the year were seen in Poland, Denmark and Bulgaria.

[Copyright AP with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news

3 July 2007

BRUSSELS - Spain's unemployment rate still remained high according to latest statistics from the European Union.

The unemployment rates for the entire European Union and the 13-nation euro currency zone both dropped to 7 percent in May, the EU statistics agency Eurostat said Tuesday.

Both reported 7.1 percent a month earlier.

Spain's rate stoof at 8.2 percent, one of the highest.

The year-on-year rate _ which is seasonally adjusted _ has been falling steadily to levels not seen since 1993 as the European economy enjoys a strong burst of growth, adding jobs that should cut the number of jobseekers further this year and next year.

Eurostat said that 10.4 million people in the euro area and 16.4 million in the EU were seeking work in May.

Slovakia overtook Poland with the EU's highest unemployment rate of 10.8 percent, just ahead of Poland's 10.5 percent. France posted a provisional rate of 8.7 percent - the worst unemployment rate in the euro area.

The EU's largest economy, Germany, had a provisional rate of 6.6 percent, Eurostat said. The Netherlands had the lowest unemployment rate at 3.2 percent, followed by Denmark on 3.3 percent and Ireland on 4.1 percent.

Eurostat said the largest relative falls over the year were seen in Poland, Denmark and Bulgaria.

[Copyright AP with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news