2 Sep 2009

Unemployment continues to rise in Europe

10:53 am on 2 September 2009

Unemployment is continuing to rise in Europe. Official figures show the seasonally adjusted jobless rate hit a ten year high of 9.5% in the region in July.

The BBC reports it was the worst monthly percentage figure recorded since May 1999.

The rate across all 27 members of the European Union was 9% - a total of 21.8 million people out of work - the highest level across the EU as a whole since 2005.

France's unemployment rate in July rose to 9.8% from 9.6% in June.

Germany, which also emerged from recession in April to June, saw an unemployment rate of 7.7% in July, the same as June. Spain is 18.5%.

Unemployment remained the lowest in the Netherlands, where it increased to 3.4% from June's 3.3%.