(ANSAmed) - ROME - ''This is much better than the European average and than the other countries'' said Italian Economic Development Minister Claudio Scajola regarding the data on employment, released today by the national statistics office ISTAT. The figures indicate an 8% unemployment rate in October, its highest level since November 2004. ''The economic crisis is having an impact on employment. The result is not worse than the European average however: we hope for a rapid recovery'', Scajola added, commenting ISTAT stating that it is the first time since March 2004 that Italy counts more than 2 million jobless. Employment remained unchanged in October from September of this year, but 284,000 jobs were lost since October 2008 (-1.2%). ISTAT points out that the 8% unemployment rate is an increase from the 7.8% recorded in September and the 7% of October 2008. The number of jobless has increased by 39 thousand from September (+2%) and by 236 thousand from October 2008 (+13.4%). Youth unemployment has reached 26.9% with an increase of 0.6 points from September and 4.5 points from October 2008. ISTAT underlines that the increase of unemployment also has to do with the fact that more people are looking for a job. In fact, unemployment rate is rising while employment has remained stable. In the Eurozone, based on EUROSTAT data, unemployment rose by 0.1% in October, to 9.3% from September's 9.2%. In the EU-27 there were 22.510 million jobless in October, of whom 15.567 million in the Eurozone.(ANSAmed).