Unemployment across countries that use the euro edged higher in February to 10.8%.
That's up from 10.7% in January and the highest level since the introduction of the single currency in 1999. Spain has the highest rate of 23.6%.
Meanwhile, a separate report confirmed that manufacturing activity in Europe shrank in February.
It is the eighth month in a row that the Purchasing Manager's Index has been below 50, which indicates contraction.
Confidence among European business leaders has been undermined by Europe's debt crisis.
Finance ministers will hope that an agreement to increase the size of the eurozone's rescue fund will help bolster sentiment.
They agreed to boost the joint lending power of the "firewall" from 500bn euros ($668bn; £416bn) to 800bn euros ($1.1tn; £667bn).
The firewall is the permanent mechanism to bail out troubled eurozone nations.
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