Hourly labour costs rose by 1.0% in the euro area (EA19) and by 1.4% the EU28 in the second quarter of 2016, compared with the same quarter of the previous year. In the first quarter of 2016, hourly labour costs increased by 1.6% in both zones. These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. The two main components of labour costs are wages & salaries and non-wage costs.

In the euro area, wages & salaries per hour worked grew by 0.9% and the non-wage component by 1.4%, in the second quarter of 2016 compared with the same quarter of the previous year. In the first quarter of 2016, the annual changes were +1.7% and +1.5% respectively. In the EU28, hourly wages & salaries rose by 1.3% and the non-wage component by 1.6% in the second quarter of 2016. In the first quarter of 2016, annual changes were +1.6% for both components.