Unemployment rates in the EU are rising, according to figures from Eurostat, the EU's statistical office.
In the eurozone, the unemployment rate in July was 12.1%, which is stable compared to June, but up from 11.5% in July last year.
In the 28 member states overall, the unemployment rate was 11% in July 2013, compared to 10.5% a year ago.
Eurostat estimates that 26.7 million men and women in the member states were unemployed in July 2013, with 19.2 million belonging to eurozone countries.
'Minimal' improvement since June
However, compared to June 2013, the number of unemployed decreased by 33,000 in the 28 member countries and by 15,000 in the eurozone.
"It is encouraging that many countries have managed to slightly reduce seasonally-adjusted unemployment without a time lag after economic growth picked up or even while still in recession," Andor said.
The Hungarian commissioner added that the slight decline in unemployment showed the importance of active employment policy measures such as hiring subsidies, reduced taxes on low-paid labour, re-skilling and quality job placement services.
"The recent improvements are minimal, and the situation is still very fragile. This is no time for celebration or complacency. On the contrary, now that we can see we are on the right employment policy track we must step up our 'jobs effort'," the commissioner said.
Youth unemployment rates decreasing
Andor added that the youth unemployment rates were still "clearly unacceptable".
In July 2013, 5.6 million young people (under 25) were unemployed in the 28 EU member states, with 3.5 million unemployed within the euro area. Compared with July 2012, youth unemployment decreased by 53,000 people in the EU member states in total and by 16,000 people in the euro area.
The youth unemployment rate was 23.4% in the EU in general, and a little bit more in the eurozone, 24%, compared to 22.9% and 23.3% respectively in July 2012.
In July, the lowest rates were observed in Germany (7.7%), Austria (9.2%) and Malta (10.6%), and the highest in Greece (62.9% in May 2013), Spain (56.1%) and Croatia (55.4% in the second quarter of 2013).
EU heads of states agreed in February to launch a €6 billion Youth Employment Initiative, with the aim of making it fully operational by 1 January 2014.
The Youth Guarantee scheme, introduced by each EU country according to its individual need, will apply to young people who are out of work for more than four months. It aims to give them a real chance to further their education, or get a job, apprenticeship or traineeship.
