European unemployment rates were lower in May due to stronger job creation in Germany and Spain. The average was 8.8% for the whole EU, down from 8.9% in April. The lowest rates were registered in Ireland – 4.2%. The highest was Poland at 17.8%.

In the 25 EU member states there were 19.1 million job seekers, 12.8 million of them in the euro zone. The figures, from the European Union statistics office, are all adjusted to take into account season factors such as more outdoor work becoming available in the summer.

Fourteen EU member states, recorded a decrease in unemployment over the past year, two remained stable and nine reported an increase. The totals show employers are still reluctant to add to their pay rolls with the region’s uncertain economic outlook.

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