COPENHAGEN: The Eurostat data shows that hourly labour costs in Denmark reached 300.30 Danish kroner (€40.30), the highest rate across the European Union. Denmark’s hourly labour costs increased by 0.9 percent in 2014, up to 300.30 kroner (€40.30) from 297.7 kroner (€39.90) in 2013.
Denmark also had one of the smallest shares of non-wage costs, with just 13.1 percent of the country’s labour costs coming from expenses other than wages and salaries. Only Malta had a smaller proportion of labour costs coming from non-wage items, at 6.9 percent, though Malta’s average hourly labour costs were €12.30 (about 91.87 kroner).
Hourly labour costs in the services sector, which includes food and retail services, has the highest rate at 317.90 kroner, followed by industry (314.10 kroner) and business economy (313.30 kroner).Non-business sectors, which includes education, health and the arts, but excludes public administration, saw hourly labour costs at 276.70 kroner while the construction sector saw the lowest rate at 271.70 kroner. Overall, the average hourly labour costs across the EU last year were €24.60 (about 183.78 kroner). Non-wage costs made up 24.4 percent of this.
