The number of people out of work in the European Union (EU) during May 2011 held steady compared with the previous month.

According to figures for the 27 member states, the unemployment rate for the region stood at 9.3 per cent for the month, down year-on-year by 0.4 percentage points.

The data from Eurostat also revealed the 17 nations that have adopted the euro saw joblessness remain unchanged at 9.9 per cent for the month, falling from 10.2 per cent in May 2010.

Within the EU, the Netherlands was found to have the lowest rate of people out of work, at 4.2 per cent, followed by Austria (4.3 per cent) and Luxembourg (4.5 per cent).

Unemployment has declined over the 12 months to May 2011 in 19 of the EU member states and has risen in the remaining eight over the year, with an estimated 22.378 million individuals out of work.

Recent data from Eurostat showed there was a climb in overall EU employment rates from 66.8 per cent in 2002 to 68.6 per cent last year.

Posted by Alex Donnell