In the second quarter of 2025 the hourly labour costs rose by 3.6% in the euro area and by 4.0% in the EU, compared with the same quarter of the previous year. These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

In the euro area, in the second quarter of 2025 compared with the same quarter of the previous year

In the EU, in the second quarter of 2025 compared with the same quarter of the previous year

In the second quarter of 2025 compared with the same quarter of the previous year, hourly labour costs in the euro area rose by 2.7% in the (mainly) non-business economy and by 4.0% in the business economy:

In the EU, hourly labour costs grew by 3.1% in the (mainly) non-business economy and by 4.4% in the business economy:

In the EU, in the second quarter of 2025 compared with the same quarter of the previous year, the economic activities (NACE Rev. 2 sections) that recorded the highest increases in hourly wage costs were:

The lowest annual increase was recorded in NACE Rev. 2 section L – ‘Real estate activities’ (+1.6%).

In the EU, in the second quarter of 2025 compared with the same quarter of the previous year, the economic activities (NACE Rev. 2 sections) that recorded the highest increases in the non-wage component were:

The lowest annual increase was recorded in NACE Rev. 2 section N – ‘Administrative and support service activities’ (+1.8%).

In the second quarter of 2025 compared with the same quarter of the previous year, the highest increases in hourly wage costs for the whole economy were recorded in Bulgaria (+13.4%) and Hungary (+11.0%). Three more EU Member States recorded an increase of 10% or more: Romania (+10.4%), Estonia (+10.3%) and Greece (+10.1%). The lowest increases were recorded in France (+1.4%), Denmark (+1.5%) and Malta (+1.9%).

Notes for users
Revisions and timetable

The Labour Cost Index data are subject to revision, in particular for the latest quarters, when new source data become available. The original data, before any subsequent revision, are also available here.

Compared with the News Release of 16 June 2025, the annual growth rate of the hourly labour costs, for the total economy in the first quarter of 2025 remained unchanged for both the euro area and the EU.

Eurostat releases early estimates for the hourly labour costs of the euro area and of the EU, around 50 days after the reference quarter. Early estimates for the second quarter of 2025 have been released on 20 August 2025 and early estimates for the third quarter of 2025 are scheduled on 19 November 2025.

Methods and definitions

The Labour Cost Index is a short-term indicator showing the development of hourly labour costs incurred by employers, in nominal terms, that is without adjusting for price developments. It is calculated dividing the labour cost in national currency by the number of hours worked. Therefore, the development of variables, labour costs and hours worked, affect the evolution of the index (base year = 2020).

The quarterly changes in hourly employers’ costs are measured for total labour costs and its main components: wages and salaries; and non-wage costs (labour costs other than wages and salaries). Total labour costs (TOT) 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 (WAG) include direct remuneration, 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 remuneration in kind such as food, drink, fuel, company cars, etc.

Labour costs other than wages and salaries (OTH – non-wage costs) include the employers’ social contributions plus employment taxes regarded as labour costs less subsidies intended to refund part or the entire employer’s cost of direct remuneration.

Eurostat publishes Labour Cost Index data for NACE Rev. 2 sections B to S. The aggregate is referred to as “Whole economy” for the sake of simplification, although sections A: ‘Agriculture, forestry and fishing’; T: ‘Activities of households as employers; undifferentiated goods and services producing activities of households for own use’ and U: ‘Activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies’ are excluded. Section N: ‘Administrative and support service activities’ includes the activities of temporary employment agencies.

Geographical information

The euro area (EA20) includes Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland.

The European Union (EU27) includes Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.