Hourly labour costs rose by 1.6% in the euro area (EA19) and by 1.7% in the EU28 in the fourth quarter of 2016, compared with the same quarter of the previous year. In the third quarter of 2016, hourly labour costs increased by 1.4% and 1.8% respectively. 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 1.6% and the non-wage component by 1.5%, in the fourth quarter of 2016 compared with the same quarter of the previous year. In the third quarter of 2016, the annual changes were +1.5% and +1.0% respectively. In the EU28, hourly wages & salaries rose by 1.8% and the non-wage component by 1.5% in the fourth quarter of 2016. In the third quarter of 2016, annual changes were +1.9% and +1.4% respectively.