Labour costs decreased the most in mining and quarrying (-19.4%), and in water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities (-10.3%).

The biggest increases were recorded in electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (+4.1%) and in agriculture, forestry and fishing (+3.8%).

According to Eurostat data, the labour costs per hour worked (agriculture, forestry and fishing excluded) increased in almost all EU member states in the first quarter of 2013 year-on-year, by an average of 1.9%.

The only exceptions were Portugal, with a 4.7% decrease, Slovenia, with a 3.3% drop, and Spain, where labour costs per hour worked were down 0.3%.

In Cyprus they remained unchanged, while Romania (+8.3%) and Estonia (+7.2%) stand out among the countries with increasing costs. No data was available for Austria, Greece, Croatia, Ireland and Sweden.