Wages per hour decreased by 1.7%, while other labour-related costs were down 4.3%.

Labour costs decreased the most in mining and quarrying, by 10.0%, and in professional, scientific and technical activities, by 8.3%.

They were up 1.8% in wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycle, and 1.6% in manufacturing.

According to Eurostat data released on Monday, the labour costs per hour worked (agriculture, forestry and fishing excluded) increased in almost all EU member states in the third quarter year-on-year, by an average of 1.9%.

The only exceptions were Slovenia and Malta, where they decreased by 0.8% and 0.5%, respectively.

Labour costs per hour worked increased the most in Estonia (by 7.6%), followed by Romania (by 7.2%) and Bulgaria (by 5.9%), while data are not available for this period for Austria, the Czech Republic and Greece.