BRUSSELS (AFX) - The EU's statistical office Eurostat said euro zone hourly labour costs rose 3.9 pct in the third quarter from to the same period in 1999, compared to a revised 3.7 pct year-on-year rise in the second quarter.
Before revision, the second quarter rise was 3.5 pct. For the 15 EU countries, labour costs in the third quarter grew 3.9 pct from the previous year, compared to a revised 3.7 pct year-on-year rise in the second quarter, it said.
The earlier figure for the second quarter was 3.8 pct.
Italy saw the smallest annual rise in labour costs in the third quarter, up 0.8 pct, while the Netherlands registered the largest increase, up 5.2 pct. Labour costs in Austria and Finland rose by 4.3 pct, it said.
In industry, hourly costs rose 3.8 pct in the Euro zone, and 3.9 pct in the EU 15, it said.