(PTI): Unemployment rate in September reached its highest level since 2000 in the European Union and since 1999 in the euro zone, according to a report by Eurostat.

In the EU, the unemployment rate rose to 9.2 percent in September, against 9.1 percent in August and 7.1 percent a year earlier.

In the eurozone, the rate was 9.7 percent in September, compared to 9.6 percent in August and 7.7 percent in September 2008.

Most economists expect the jobless numbers to keep rising into next year.

According to Eurostat’s estimates, 22.123 million men and women in the 27 EU member states — of whom 15.324 million were in the eurozone — were unemployed in September 2009.

Over the past 12 months, all member states have seen a rise in their jobless rate.

Between September 2008 and September 2009, the unemployment rate for men rose from 7.1 percent to 9.6 percent in the eurozone and from 6.8 percent to 9.3 percent in the EU.

The female unemployment rate rose from 8.4 percent to 9.8 percent in the eurozone and from 7.5 percent to 9 percent in the EU.

In September 2009, the unemployment rate for under-25s was 20.1 percent in the eurozone and 20.2 percent in the EU.

In September 2008, it was 15.7 percent and 15.8 percent, respectively.

The lowest rate was observed in the Netherlands (6.8 percent), and the highest rates in Spain (41 percent) and Latvia (33.6 percent), in the third quarter of 2009.

The unemployment rate was 9.8 percent in the USA in September 2009. In Japan, it was 5.5 percent in August 2009.