EU LABOUR COSTS RISE BY 3.9% IN THIRD QUARTER 2000.

• Position: Statistical Data Included

Total hourly labour costs in the EU rose by 3.9% in the third quarter of 2000, compared with a revised 3.7% in the previous quarter, according to figures released by Eurostat, the EU Statistical Office, on 12 January. In the Euro zone, labour costs also grew by 3.9% in nominal terms, compared to the same period the previous year. The smallest annual rise was in Italy (0.8%), and the biggest in the Netherlands (5.2%) followed by Austria and Finland (both 4.3%).In industry, hourly labour costs in the Euro zone rose by 3.8% whilst for the EU as a whole the increase was 3.9%. From the data available, costs came down in...