BRUSSELS (AFP) -- The unemployment rate in the 12 nations using the euro last year eased again in November, reaching 7.6 percent for the month compared to October.

The rate, published by the European Union's Eurostat data agency and taking into account seasonal variations, compared to a monthly drop of 7.7 percent posted in October.

It was a slight improvement over the forecast of analysts polled by AFX news agency, who had predicted that eurozone unemployment would remain stable.

Since peaking at 8.9 percent during an extended period ending in September 2004, unemployment in the eurozone has steadily declined as the economy gathers pace.

Slovenia became the 13th member of the eurozone on Monday.

In the 25-nation EU -- Bulgaria and Romania were not members until January -- the unemployment rate was 7.7 percent in November compared to the previous month.