Labour
costs in the EU28
Hourly
labour costs ranged from €3.7 to €40.1 across the EU28 Member
States in 2013
In
2013, average hourly labour costs1
in the whole economy2
(excluding agriculture and public administration) were estimated to
be €23.7 in the EU283
and €28.4 in the euro
area3
(EA17). However, this average masks significant differences between
EU Member States, with the lowest hourly labour costs recorded in
Bulgaria
(€3.7), Romania
(€4.6),
Lithuania
(€6.2)
and
Latvia
(€6.3),
and the highest in Sweden
(€40.1),
Denmark
(€38.4),
Belgium (€38.0),
Luxembourg
(€35.7) and France
(€34.3).
Within
the business economy, labour costs per hour were highest in industry
(€24.6 in the EU28
and
€31.0
in the euro
area),
followed by services (€23.9 and €28.0 respectively) and
construction (€21.0 and €24.5). In the mainly non-business
economy (excluding public administration), labour costs per hour were
€23.2 in the EU28
and €27.7 in the euro
area.
Labour
costs are made up of wages & salaries and non-wage costs such as
employers' social contributions. The share of non-wage costs in the
whole economy was 23.7% in the EU28
and 25.9% in the euro
area,
varying between 8.0% in Malta
and 33.3% in Sweden.
These
preliminary estimates for 2013, published by Eurostat,
the statistical office of the European Union,
cover enterprises with 10 or more employees and are based on the 2008
Labour Cost Survey and the Labour Cost Index4.
* Based
on Eurostat’s estimate for the 3rd
and 4th
quarter of 2013. Only the total level is estimated.
Growth
in labour costs
Between
2008 and 2013, hourly labour costs in the whole economy expressed in
euro have risen by 10.2% in the EU28
and by
10.4%
in the euro
area.
Within
the euro area, the largest increases were recorded in Austria
(+18.9%), Slovakia
(+17.0%) and Finland
(+15.9%). Decreases were observed in Greece
(-18.6%) and Portugal
(-5.1%).
For
Member States outside the euro area, and expressed in national
currency, the largest increases in hourly labour costs in the whole
economy between 2008 and 2013 were registered in Bulgaria
(+44.1%) and Romania
(+32.8%), and the smallest in Croatia
(+0.7%), Lithuania
(+5.0%), the United
Kingdom
(+6.3%) and Latvia
(+6.9%). When comparing labour cost estimates over time, it should be
noted that data for those
Member
States outside the euro area are influenced by exchange rate
movements4
if analysed in euro.
- Total Labour Costs cover wage and non-wage costs less subsidies. They do not include vocational training costs or other expenditures such as recruitment costs, spending on working clothes, etc.
Wage
and salary costs include direct remunerations, bonuses, and
allowances paid by an employer in cash or in kind to an employee in
return for work done, payments to employees saving schemes, payments
for days not worked and remunerations in kind such as food, drink,
fuel, company cars, etc.
Non-wage
costs include the employers’ social contributions plus employment
taxes regarded as labour costs less subsidies intended to refund part
or all of the employer’s cost of direct remuneration.
- The whole economy (except agriculture and public administration) includes NACE Rev. 2 sections B to N and P to S, and can be subdivided into the following economic activities:
- The business economy includes NACE Rev. 2 sections B to N; for the EU28 and euro area this accounts for about 76% of the labour costs of the whole economy. It can further be broken down into:
- Industry includes: Mining and quarrying; Manufacturing; Electricity, gas, steam & air conditioning supply; and Water supply, sewerage, waste management & remediation activities. Industry accounts for around 24% of the whole economy.
- Construction accounts for around 6% of the whole economy.
- Services include: Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles & motorcycles; Transportation & storage; Accommodation & food service activities; Information & communication; Financial & insurance activities; Real estate activities; Professional, scientific & technical activities; Administrative & support service activities. Services account for around 48% of the whole economy.
- The mainly non-business economy (except public administration) includes NACE Rev. 2 sections P to S; for the EU28 and euro area this accounts for about 24% of the labour costs of the whole economy. It includes Education; Human health & social work activities; Arts, entertainment & recreation; and Other service activities.
- The EU28 includes Belgium (BE), Bulgaria (BG), the Czech Republic (CZ), Denmark (DK), Germany (DE), Estonia (EE), Ireland (IE), Greece (EL), Spain (ES), France (FR), Croatia (HR), Italy (IT), Cyprus (CY), Latvia (LV), Lithuania (LT), Luxembourg (LU), Hungary (HU), Malta (MT), the Netherlands (NL), Austria (AT), Poland (PL), Portugal (PT), Romania (RO), Slovenia (SI), Slovakia (SK), Finland (FI), Sweden (SE) and the United Kingdom (UK).
Up
to 31 December 2013 the euro area (EA17) included Belgium, Germany,
Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Luxembourg,
Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and
Finland. From 1 January 2014 the euro area (EA18) also includes
Latvia. Data in this News Release refer to EA17, since Latvia was not
a part of the euro area at the time to which this data refer (2013).
- Estimates for years after 2008 are obtained by extrapolating the 2008 Labour Cost Survey hourly labour cost data expressed in national currencies using the Labour Cost Index (LCI) transmitted by the Member States. In order to calculate monetary estimates in euros and to derive European aggregates, exchange rate movements have to be incorporated. For this purpose, an exchange-rate adjusted LCI index is calculated for non-euro area countries.
The
LCI not adjusted for calendar effects is used except for Denmark,
France and Sweden where only calendar-adjusted data are available.
Discrepancies between the growth rates derived from the 2008 and 2013
values and the growth rates reported in the table are due to
rounding.
Additional
information is available at:
- For France, the aggregate shown for the whole economy also excludes NACE Rev. 2 section P (Education). For Greece, values for 2013 are estimated based on the LCI for 2013 Q1-Q2 and Eurostat estimates based on national accounts data for Q3 and Q4. Share of non-wage cost is based on 2012 data. For Romania the values for the years 2009 – 2012 and for Spain the years 2009-2011 are taken from national sources.
Issued
by: Eurostat
Press Office
Louise
CORSELLI-NORDBLAD
Tel: +352-4301-33 444
For further information
on data:
Sammy
LAURITSEN
Tel: +352-4301-35 742
Eurostat
news releases on the internet: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat
Labour
costs per hour in euro, whole economy (excluding agriculture and
public administration)
|
|
2008
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
Non-wage
costs
(% of total), 2013* |
Change
2013/2008, %
|
|
EA17
|
25.7
|
26.9
|
27.5
|
28.0
|
28.4
|
25.9%
|
10.4%
|
|
EA18
|
25.5
|
26.7
|
27.3
|
27.8
|
28.2
|
25.9%
|
10.4%
|
|
EU28
|
21.5
|
22.4
|
22.9
|
23.4
|
23.7
|
23.7%
|
10.2%
|
|
Belgium
|
32.9
|
35.3
|
36.3
|
37.2
|
38.0
|
27.4%
|
15.4%
|
|
Bulgaria
|
2.6
|
3.1
|
3.3
|
3.6
|
3.7
|
15.8%
|
44.1%
|
|
Czech
Republic
|
9.2
|
9.8
|
10.5
|
10.5
|
10.3
|
26.8%
|
12.4%
|
|
Denmark
|
34.4
|
36.7
|
37.3
|
38.0
|
38.4
|
12.4%
|
11.7%
|
|
Germany
|
27.9
|
28.8
|
29.6
|
30.5
|
31.3
|
21.8%
|
12.2%
|
|
Estonia
|
7.8
|
7.6
|
7.9
|
8.4
|
9.0
|
26.7%
|
15.2%
|
|
Ireland
|
28.9
|
28.9
|
28.7
|
29.0
|
29.0
|
13.8%
|
0.5%
|
|
Greece5
|
16.7
|
17.0
|
16.2
|
15.0
|
13.6
|
19.1%
|
-18.6%
|
|
Spain5
|
19.4
|
20.7
|
21.2
|
21.0
|
21.1
|
26.6%
|
8.7%
|
|
France5
|
31.2
|
32.6
|
33.6
|
34.3
|
34.3
|
32.4%
|
9.9%
|
|
Croatia
|
9.2
|
8.6
|
8.7
|
8.7
|
8.8
|
15.4%
|
-4.0%
|
|
Italy
|
25.2
|
26.8
|
27.2
|
27.6
|
28.1
|
28.1%
|
11.4%
|
|
Cyprus
|
16.7
|
17.7
|
18.0
|
18.0
|
17.2
|
16.6%
|
2.6%
|
|
Latvia
|
5.9
|
5.5
|
5.7
|
6.0
|
6.3
|
20.6%
|
7.1%
|
|
Lithuania
|
5.9
|
5.4
|
5.5
|
5.8
|
6.2
|
28.5%
|
5.0%
|
|
Luxembourg
|
31.0
|
32.9
|
33.9
|
34.7
|
35.7
|
13.4%
|
15.4%
|
|
Hungary
|
7.8
|
7.0
|
7.3
|
7.5
|
7.4
|
24.6%
|
-5.2%
|
|
Malta
|
11.3
|
11.9
|
12.2
|
12.5
|
12.8
|
8.0%
|
13.9%
|
|
Netherlands
|
29.8
|
31.1
|
31.6
|
32.3
|
33.2
|
24.7%
|
11.7%
|
|
Austria
|
26.4
|
28.0
|
29.0
|
30.5
|
31.4
|
26.7%
|
18.9%
|
|
Poland
|
7.6
|
7.2
|
7.3
|
7.4
|
7.6
|
16.7%
|
0.1%
|
|
Portugal
|
12.2
|
12.6
|
12.6
|
11.6
|
11.6
|
19.3%
|
-5.1%
|
|
Romania5
|
4.2
|
4.1
|
4.2
|
4.1
|
4.6
|
23.2%
|
10.6%
|
|
Slovenia
|
13.9
|
14.6
|
14.9
|
14.9
|
14.6
|
14.7%
|
4.9%
|
|
Slovakia
|
7.3
|
7.7
|
8.0
|
8.3
|
8.5
|
27.4%
|
17.0%
|
|
Finland
|
27.1
|
28.8
|
29.5
|
30.8
|
31.4
|
22.1%
|
15.9%
|
|
Sweden
|
31.6
|
33.6
|
36.4
|
39.2
|
40.1
|
33.3%
|
26.9%
|
|
United
Kingdom
|
20.9
|
20.0
|
20.1
|
21.6
|
20.9
|
15.3%
|
-0.3%
|
|
Norway
|
37.8
|
41.6
|
44.5
|
48.5
|
48.5
|
18.9%
|
28.2%
|
*
2012 data for Greece
Labour
costs per hour in national currency for non-euro area countries
whole
economy (excluding agriculture and public administration)
|
|
2008
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
Change
2013/2008, %
|
|
|
Bulgaria
|
BGN
|
5.0
|
6.0
|
6.5
|
7.0
|
7.2
|
44.1%
|
|
Czech
Republic
|
CZK
|
228.3
|
247.1
|
257.0
|
265.2
|
267.2
|
17.0%
|
|
Denmark
|
DKK
|
256.3
|
273.1
|
278.1
|
283.1
|
286.4
|
11.7%
|
|
Croatia
|
HRK
|
66.1
|
62.7
|
64.4
|
65.7
|
66.6
|
0.7%
|
|
Latvia
|
LVL
|
4.1
|
3.9
|
4.0
|
4.2
|
4.4
|
6.9%
|
|
Lithuania
|
LTL
|
20.3
|
18.5
|
19.1
|
20.0
|
21.3
|
5.0%
|
|
Hungary
|
HUF
|
1
971.0
|
1
938.9
|
2
029.8
|
2
162.1
|
2
205.8
|
11.9%
|
|
Poland
|
PLN
|
26.8
|
28.8
|
30.2
|
31.1
|
32.1
|
19.6%
|
|
Romania5
|
RON
|
15.5
|
17.4
|
17.7
|
18.5
|
20.5
|
32.8%
|
|
Sweden
|
SEK
|
304.2
|
320.2
|
328.7
|
341.0
|
347.2
|
14.2%
|
|
United
Kingdom
|
GBP
|
16.7
|
17.1
|
17.4
|
17.5
|
17.7
|
6.3%
|
|
Norway
|
NOK
|
311.0
|
333.1
|
346.7
|
362.9
|
378.6
|
21.7%
|
Labour
costs per hour in euro, breakdown by economic activity in 2013
|
|
Business
economy
|
Industry
|
Construction
|
Services
|
Mainly
non-business (excl. public admin.)
|
|
EA17
|
28.6
|
31.0
|
24.5
|
28.0
|
27.7
|
|
EA18
|
28.4
|
30.8
|
24.3
|
27.7
|
27.4
|
|
EU28
|
23.8
|
24.6
|
21.0
|
23.9
|
23.2
|
|
Belgium
|
41.2
|
43.4
|
33.6
|
41.2
|
31.1
|
|
Bulgaria
|
3.7
|
3.4
|
2.8
|
4.1
|
3.7
|
|
Czech
Republic
|
10.4
|
10.2
|
9.5
|
10.9
|
9.5
|
|
Denmark
|
39.6
|
38.7
|
34.6
|
40.8
|
35.9
|
|
Germany
|
31.7
|
36.5
|
24.6
|
29.0
|
29.5
|
|
Estonia
|
9.3
|
9.1
|
9.9
|
9.4
|
8.0
|
|
Ireland
|
27.6
|
30.7
|
25.5
|
26.7
|
34.3
|
|
Greece5
|
:
|
:
|
:
|
:
|
:
|
|
Spain5
|
20.9
|
23.3
|
20.3
|
20.1
|
22.0
|
|
France5
|
35.0
|
36.8
|
30.6
|
34.8
|
:
|
|
Croatia
|
8.5
|
8.8
|
7.9
|
8.4
|
10.1
|
|
Italy
|
28.0
|
28.0
|
26.5
|
28.2
|
28.9
|
|
Cyprus
|
15.9
|
14.4
|
14.4
|
16.6
|
25.3
|
|
Latvia
|
6.5
|
6.2
|
5.9
|
6.8
|
5.5
|
|
Lithuania
|
6.2
|
6.1
|
5.8
|
6.3
|
6.1
|
|
Luxembourg
|
35.6
|
31.5
|
23.6
|
39.2
|
36.8
|
|
Hungary
|
7.8
|
8.0
|
6.2
|
7.9
|
6.1
|
|
Malta
|
12.6
|
12.8
|
9.5
|
13.0
|
13.5
|
|
Netherlands
|
32.6
|
c
|
c
|
c
|
c
|
|
Austria
|
31.3
|
33.8
|
30.0
|
30.2
|
32.2
|
|
Poland
|
7.4
|
7.6
|
6.4
|
7.5
|
8.5
|
|
Portugal
|
11.5
|
10.1
|
10.3
|
12.6
|
12.4
|
|
Romania5
|
4.7
|
4.7
|
3.8
|
5.1
|
4.3
|
|
Slovenia
|
14.3
|
14.7
|
11.4
|
15.0
|
16.0
|
|
Slovakia
|
8.8
|
9.2
|
8.3
|
8.6
|
7.6
|
|
Finland
|
31.8
|
34.0
|
33.2
|
30.2
|
30.4
|
|
Sweden
|
43.1
|
45.1
|
38.5
|
42.8
|
34.6
|
|
United
Kingdom
|
21.1
|
22.5
|
23.1
|
20.6
|
20.1
|
|
Norway
|
47.7
|
53.3
|
38.7
|
46.9
|
50.6
|
:
Data not available c confidential
Labour
costs per hour in national currency for non-euro area countries,
breakdown
by economic activity in 2013
|
|
Business
economy
|
Industry
|
Construction
|
Services
|
Mainly
non-business (excl. public admin.)
|
|
|
Bulgaria
|
BGN
|
7.2
|
6.7
|
5.6
|
8.0
|
7.2
|
|
Czech
Republic
|
CZK
|
271.5
|
265.1
|
247.5
|
283.5
|
247.6
|
|
Denmark
|
DKK
|
295.2
|
288.3
|
258.1
|
304.5
|
267.7
|
|
Croatia
|
HRK
|
64.3
|
66.3
|
60.2
|
63.9
|
76.6
|
|
Latvia
|
LVL
|
4.6
|
4.4
|
4.2
|
4.8
|
3.9
|
|
Lithuania
|
LTL
|
21.4
|
20.9
|
20.1
|
21.9
|
21.1
|
|
Hungary
|
HUF
|
2
321.6
|
2
363.5
|
1
835.1
|
2
351.2
|
1
814.1
|
|
Poland
|
PLN
|
31.2
|
31.9
|
27.0
|
31.4
|
35.8
|
|
Romania5
|
RON
|
21.0
|
20.6
|
16.6
|
22.7
|
19.1
|
|
Sweden
|
SEK
|
372.8
|
389.8
|
333.3
|
370.5
|
299.2
|
|
United
Kingdom
|
GBP
|
18.0
|
19.1
|
19.6
|
17.5
|
17.1
|
|
Norway
|
NOK
|
372.1
|
416.3
|
301.8
|
366.1
|
395.4
|
