Labour costs and non-wage costs for 2007 in an EU comparison
WIESBADEN – As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), employers of the German private industry paid EUR 29.10 per hour worked in 2007. Compared with the other European countries, the level of labour costs in Germany was seventh after Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg, France and the Netherlands. Denmark recorded the highest labour costs per hour worked with EUR 35.00 and Bulgaria the lowest with EUR 2.10. In manufacturing, a sector with high exposure to international competition, one hour worked cost an average EUR 33.00 in Germany in 2007. So Germany ranked fourth in the European Union after Belgium, Sweden und Denmark. For EUR 100 of gross wages and salaries, employers paid non-wage costs to the amount of EUR 32 in Germany in 2007. Germany was thus below the European average of EUR 36 and, being fourteenth in the European Union, it occupied a middle position. In France and Sweden, additional non-wage costs of EUR 50 had to be paid for every EUR 100 of wages, in Malta only EUR 10. For further information please call: Ralf Droßard, tel: (+49-611) 75-4236,
