EU UNEMPLOYMENT RATE STUBBORN AT 7.6%.

• Position: European Union - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Unemployment in the European Union stayed at 7.6% in September this year, the same rate as in August, announced Eurostat, the EU's statistical office on November 6. The EU rate was 8% in September last year. The euro-zone rate was unchanged at 8.3% in September 2001 compared to August. It was 8.6% in September 2000. Eurostat recorded the lowest rates in the Netherlands (2.2% in August), Luxembourg (2.5%), Ireland (3.8%), Austria (3.9%), Denmark (4.3% in August) and Portugal (4.4%). Spain's 13% remained the EU's highest rate.In the last twelve months, the most important relative falls were recorded in the Netherlands (from 2.9% in August 2000 to 2.2% in August 2001), Sweden (from 5.5% to 4.9%) and France (from 9.2% to 8.6%). On the other hand, Austria, Portugal and Germany have recorded a slight increase...