Businesses and public services in Germany paid 2.0% more per working hour in the third quarter this year than in the third quarter 2007. According to the Federal Statistical Office, this is the biggest increase in five years. Compared to the second quarter 2008, labour costs increased by 1.1% after adjustments for season and calendar. Within the EU the labour cost increase in Germany in the period between the second quarter in 2007 and the second quarter 2008 was the smallest among all EU member states.
Also available now are the labour cost changes in the private economy for all EU member states as of the second quarter 2008. According to the findings, a working hour in Germany became by 0.7% more expensive as compared to the second quarter 2007. The second smallest growth was registered in Malta (1.8%) followed by Sweden (2.2%) and France (2.4%). The biggest increase in the EU was registered in Latvia (+24.8%). The average increase in labour costs in the EU amounted to 3.4% which is significantly more than in Germany. However, for the time being only 21 of the 27 member states have made data available for the second quarter of 2008. The changes of labour costs in countries outside the Eurozone were measured in the respective local currencies. 