Labour costs rising in the EU, highest in construction

(Patria) - Hourly labour costs in the first quarter of this year increased by 3.6 percent in the EU and by 3.2 percent in the eurozone compared to the same period last year, Eurostat reported.

According to data published yesterday by the European statistical office, the rise in labour costs is the result of increases in both wages and salaries and other costs borne by employers for employees.

By sector, the largest increase in labour costs was recorded in construction, where hourly costs rose by 4.2 percent in the EU and by 4.1 percent in the eurozone.

In industry, the increase was 3.6 percent in the EU and 3.3 percent in the eurozone, while the services sector recorded an increase of 3.4 percent in the EU and 3.1 percent in the eurozone.

Among individual activities in the EU, the largest increase in hourly wage costs was achieved in the mining and quarrying sector, where the increase amounted to 5.7 percent on an annual basis.

This was followed by real estate activities and other service activities with an increase of 4.8 percent each, as well as construction and education, where wage costs rose by 4.4 percent each.

The slowest growth in wage costs was recorded in professional, scientific and technical activities, at just one percent, while accommodation and food service activities, as well as arts, entertainment and recreation, recorded increases of less than three percent.