People with facial masks are seen in front of the Alte Oper during the COVID-19 pandemic in Frankfurt, Germany, Jan. 20, 2021. (Photo: Xinhua)

Around 16 million people in the European Union (EU), of whom over 13 million in the eurozone, were unemployed in December last year, a month-on-month increase of 67,000 in the EU and 55,000 in the eurozone, respectively, Eurostat said on Monday.

The statistical office of the EU said the unemployment rate in December stood at 7.5 percent in the EU and 8.3 percent in the eurozone, remaining largely stable compared with November, but up from 6.5 percent and 7.4 percent, respectively, in December 2019.

Compared with December 2019, the number of unemployed people rose by nearly two million in the EU and by 1.5 million in the eurozone.

According to Eurostat's figures, slightly more than three million young persons under the age of 25 were unemployed in the EU, of whom 2.6 million were in the eurozone.

In December 2020, the youth unemployment rate was 17.8 percent in the EU and 18.5 percent in the eurozone, up from 17.5 percent and 18.1 percent, respectively, in the previous month.

Compared with November 2020, youth unemployment increased by 41,000 in the EU and by 36,000 in the eurozone. The year-on-year increase was 438,000 in the EU and 353,000 in the eurozone.