The unemployment rate across the euro area was 12.1% in October, according to eurostat, 0.4% higher than in the same month of 2012. Almost 19.3 million people were unemployed across the 17 countries that share the single currency, according to the figures, though this was down slightly on the numbers recorded in September. The unemployment rate was also up slightly year-on-year across the entire European Union, standing at 26.65 million (10.9%) compared to 26.14 million (10.7%) in October 2012. The number of young people unemployed in the euro area has also risen in the past 12 months, standing at 3.58 million (24.4%) in October compared to 3.56 million (23.7%) in the same month of last year. There was a slight fall in the number of young people unemployed across the wider European Union, though the rate has risen in percentage terms. Eurostat puts Ireland's unemployment rate at 12.6% in October - half a percent above the euro area average and the eight highest rate in the European Union. Greece had the highest unemployment rate at 27.3%, while Austria's was the lowest at 4.8%. Ireland's youth unemployment rate stood at 26% in October, according to the figures, above the euro area average but 3.5% lower than the rate recorded a year ago. Spain had the highest unemployment rate amongst under 25s in October, standing at 57.4%.

Source