The nominal unit labour cost (NULC) index is defined as the ratio of labour cost to labour productivity, where labour cost is the ratio of compensation of employees (current prices) to hours worked by employees, and labour productivity is the ratio of gross domestic product (at market prices in millions, chain-linked volumes reference year 2015) to total hours worked. The MIP indicator is expressed as the one-year percentage change. Data on employment are presented according to the domestic concept used in national accounts. Input data are obtained from the official national accounts' country data, through ESA 2010 transmission programme.

The relative unit labour cost (ULC) series measures the trading position of an individual country relative to its partners in the euro area and as such offers an indication about changes in its competitive position. The measure takes into account not only changes in market exchange rates, but also variations in relative price levels based on the unit labour cost and therefore can be used as indicators of competitiveness. The data are expressed as 10 years % change, and 1 year % change. A decrease in the relative unit labour cost index is regarded as an improvement of a country's competitive position relative to their trading partners in the euro area. Data source: Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN).

The labour productivity is the ratio of gross domestic product (market prices in millions, chain-linked volumes reference year 2015) to total hours worked by employees and self-employed (domestic concept). The GDP per hour worked gives an indication of how much economic production activity can be attributed to each hour worked in the economy. Input data are obtained from the official national accounts' country data, through ESA 2010 transmission programme. The MIP auxiliary indicator is expressed as 1-year percentage change. In the table, values are also expressed as index (2015=100).

Compensation of employees (at current prices) is defined as the total remuneration, in cash or in kind, payable by an employer to an employee in return for work done by the latter during the accounting period. Compensation of employees consists of wages and salaries, and of employers' social contributions. The input data are obtained through official transmissions of national accounts' country data in the ESA 2010 transmission programme. The data are expressed in million national currency.

Persons in employment are those who, during the reference week, did any work for pay or profit, or were not working but had a job from which they were temporarily absent. Anyone who receives a wage for on-the-job training that involves the production of goods or services is also considered as being in employment. Self-employed and family workers are also included. Employment is measured in number of persons without distinction according to full-time or part-time work. Employment growth rates are based on employed persons. They are expressed as percentage change comparing year Y with year Y-1 and in 1000 persons. Data are sourced from National accounts data. The ESA 2010 distinguishes two employment concepts depending on the geographical coverage: resident persons in employment (i.e. the national scope of employment) and employment in resident production units irrespective of the place of residence of the employed person (i.e. domestic scope). The table presents total employment, according to the domestic concept.

Employees correspond to the ILO definition of 'paid employment'. The relationship of employer to employee exists when there is a contract, which may be formal or informal, between an enterprise and a person, entered into voluntarily by both parties, whereby the person works for the enterprise in return for remuneration in cash or in kind. Persons having both a job as an employee and a job as a self-employed person are classified as an employee if the employee job constitutes their principal activity by income. If income is not available, then hours worked is to be used as a proxy. This also covers persons temporarily not at work, provided they have a formal job attachment. Data are sourced from National accounts data and expressed as percentage change comparing year Y with year Y-1 and in 1000 persons. The ESA 2010 distinguishes two employment concepts depending on the geographical coverage: resident persons in employment (i.e. the national scope of employment) and employment in resident production units irrespective of the place of residence of the employed person (i.e. domestic scope). The table presents employees according to the domestic concept.