Unit labour cost position in the production of goods stable in 2012 despite economic slump

In 2012, the recession shaped the development of unit labour costs in Austria. Labour costs in the manufacturing of goods increased by 3.2 percent, while labour productivity developed very weakly (+0.1 percent). This represents a rise in unit labour costs of about 3 percent. However, Austria's international competitiveness compared to the average of all trading partners, as well as to Germany, improved slightly in 2012 because productivity developed even less favourably among the trading partners.