Think tank: EU economic crisis put 6m out of work

The economic crisis in Europe has put 6m people out of work and driven others into poverty, according to a think tank study looking into the social impact of the slump that was examined by EU finance ministers for the first time yesterday.

As host, Greece, the first eurozone country to be bailed out during the crisis, put it on the agenda of the regular meeting of EU finance ministers that has more usually focused on appeasing financial markets with tough spending reforms.

After six years of recession that many blame on international lenders for exacerbating tax hikes and spending cuts, about a quarter of Greeks are jobless, including over half of those aged under 25.