ZAGREB, 28 March (Hina) – In 2023, hourly labour costs in Croatia were about half the euro area and EU averages, with a half lower share of non-wage costs, Eurostat data showed on Thursday.

In 2023, the average hourly labour costs were estimated to be €31.8 in the EU and €35.6 in the euro area, up 5.3% and 4.8% on 2022, respectively.

The averages “mask significant gaps” between EU countries, with the lowest hourly labour costs recorded in Bulgaria (€9.3), Romania (€11) and Hungary (€12.8), while the highest were in Luxembourg (€53.9), Denmark (€48.1) and Belgium (€47.1).

In Croatia, hourly labour costs in 2023 were €14.4, up 14.2% on 2022, which was the largest increase in the EU. In Poland they were €14.5 and in Lithuania €14.7.

The share of non-wage costs in total labour costs was 24.7% in the EU and 25.5% in the euro area. The lowest shares were recorded in Malta (1.4%), Romania (5%) and Lithuania (5.4%) and the highest in Sweden (32.2%) and France (31.9%).

In Croatia, the share of non-wage costs was 11.7%. Luxembourg and Denmark were close with 12.4% and 12.7%, respectively.