The unemployment rate in the European Union (EU) remained stable during July 2010, new data show.

According to Eurostat, the month saw joblessness hold at 9.6 per cent across the 27 member states, while the rate was also steady at ten per cent in the eurozone.

Compared with July 2010, the number of people out of work in the EU has climbed slightly from 9.1 per cent to around 23.057 million individuals.

Unemployment in the euro area currently stands at 15.833 million individuals, down by 8,000 between June and July.

The number of men and women out of jobs in the EU27 dropped during the month by 45,000, but stood 1.108 million higher than in July 2009.

Lowest rates of unemployment were found in Austria - with 3.8 per cent of the population out of work - and the Netherlands (4.4 per cent).

The latter has witnessed a strong increase in temporary jobs during the second quarter of 2010, with hours worked in such positions increasing by five per cent over the three months.

Posted by Alex Donnell