In the European Union, the unemployment rate was 9.6% in March 2010, unchanged compared with February, according to data published Friday by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

On yearly basis – unemployment was 8.5% in March 2009.

In the Eurozone, the seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 10.0% in March 2010, the same as in February, and 9.1% in March 2009.

Eurostat estimates that 23 130 million men and women in the EU2, of whom 15 808 million were in the Eurozone, were unemployed in March 2010. Compared with February 2010, the number of persons unemployed increased by 123 000 in the EU and by 101 000 in the Eurozone. Compared with March 2009, unemployment went up by 2 546 million in the EU2 and by 1 389 million in the Eurozone.

Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in the Netherlands (4.1%) and Austria (4.9%), and the highest rates in Latvia (22.3%) and Spain (19.1%).

Compared with a year ago, one Member State recorded a fall in the unemployment rate and twenty-six an increase. The fall was observed in Germany (7.4% to 7.3%), and the smallest increases in Luxembourg (5.4% to 5.6%) and Malta (6.7% to 6.9%). The highest increases were registered in Latvia (14.3% to 22.3%), Estonia (7.6% to 15.5% between the fourth quarters of 2008 and 2009) and Lithuania (8.1% to 15.8% between the fourth quarters of 2008 and 2009).

In Bulgaria the Eurostat estimated March unemployment rate was 8.7%

In the USA, the unemployment rate was 9.7% in March 2010. In Japan it was 4.8% in February 2010.

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