The rate of unemployment among the 27 member states of the European Union (EU) stood at 9.6 per cent in February and at ten per cent within the euro area.

Both these figures from Eurostat compare with jobless totals of 9.6 per cent and 8.8 per cent respectively during the same month of 2009.

The euro area witnessed the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rise slightly from 9.9 per cent in January, while the EU27 rate stood at 9.5 per cent the previous month, according to the statistical agency.

Numbers of people out of work are currently at the highest level seen in the euro area since August 1998 and within the EU as a whole since January 2000, with an estimated 23.019 million people thought to be unemployed across the region.

However, low jobless rates were seen in the Netherlands (four per cent) and Austria (five per cent) over the period in question, with small increases in unemployment recorded in Luxembourg and Germany.

The EU has been urged by the Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament to do more to increase access to jobs and training for young people within the bloc.