The hourly labor costs increased by 3.6% in the euro area and 4.0% in the European Union (EU) in the second quarter compared to the same period last year, Eurostat reported today.
In the second quarter, wages and salaries per hour in the euro area rose by 3.7%, while non-wage costs increased by 3.4%, according to the European statistical service.
In the EU, wages advanced by 4.1% and non-wage costs grew by 3.8% between April and June compared to the same quarter of 2024.
Among Member States, the highest increases in hourly labor costs in the economy were recorded in Bulgaria (13.4%), Hungary (11.0%), and Romania (10.4%), with Estonia (10.3%) and Greece (10.1%) also seeing increases above 10%.
The smallest increases were registered in France (1.4%), Denmark (1.5%), and Malta (1.9%).
In Portugal, the indicator rose by 5.3% in the second quarter compared to the same period last year.
Eurostat does not provide chain data for hourly labor costs.
