Macroeconomic scoreboard; 2006-Q4 2023
| Periods | Nominal unit labour costs Nom.unit lab.costs,change on 3 year prev (%) | Unemployment rate; 3-year average (%) | Activity rate Activity rate (15-64), 3-years change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023* | 9.2 | 3.8 | 4.5 |
| Source: CBS. | |||
Table explanation
This table shows the indicators of the macroeconomic scoreboard. Furthermore, some additional indicators are shown. To identify in a timely manner existing and potential imbalances and possible macroeconomic risks within the countries of the European Union in an early stage, the European Commission has drawn up a scoreboard with fourteen indicators. This scoreboard is part of the Macroeconomic Imbalance Procedure (MIP). This table contains quarterly and annual figures for both these fourteen indicators and nine additional indicators for the Netherlands.
The fourteen indicators in the macroeconomic scoreboard are:
- Current account balance as % of GDP, 3 year moving average
- Net international investment position, % of GDP
- Real effective exchange rate, % change on three years previously
- Share of world exports, % change on five years previously
- Nominal unit labour costs, % change on three years previously
- Deflated house prices, % change on one year previously
- Private sector credit flow as % of GDP
- Private sector debt as % of GDP
- Government debt as % of GDP
- Unemployment rate, three year moving average
- Total financial sector liabilities, % change on one year previously
- Activity rate, % of total population aged 15-64, change in percentage points on three years previously
- Long-term unemployment rate, % of active population aged 15-74, change in percentage points on three years previously
- Youth unemployment rate, % of active population aged 15-24, change in percentage points on three years previously
The additional indicators are:
- Real effective exchange rate, index
- Share of world exports, %
- Nominal unit labour costs, index
- Households credit flow as % of GDP
- Non-financial corporations credit flow as % of GDP
- Household debt as % of GDP
- Non-financial corporations debt as % of GDP
- Activity rate, % of total population aged 15-64
- Youth unemployment rate, % of active population aged 15-24
Data available from: first quarter of 2006.
Status of the figures:
Annual and quarterly data are provisional.
Changes as of July 8th 2024:
None. This table has been discontinued.
Statistics Netherlands has carried out a revision of the national accounts. The Dutch national accounts are recently revised. New statistical sources, methods and concepts are implemented in the national accounts, in order to align the picture of the Dutch economy with all underlying source data and international guidelines for the compilation of the national accounts. For further information see section 3.
When will new figures be published?
Not applicable anymore.
Description topics
- Nominal unit labour costs
- Nominal unit labour costs are defined as the ratio between nominal labour costs per employee and labour productivity.
- Nom.unit lab.costs,change on 3 year prev
- Nominal unit labour costs - % change on three years previously.
The nominal unit labour costs are defined as the ratio of labour costs per employee to labour productivity. Labour costs are the ratio of total compensation of employees to the number of employees. The total compensation of employees consists of wages and salaries and employers’ social contributions. Labour productivity is calculated as the ratio of gross domestic product (price level 2010) to the total employment.
Eurostat's method for calculating nominal unit labour costs deviates from the concept 'labour costs'. Labour costs not only consist of wages and salaries that are periodically and directly paid to employees and employers' social contributions, but also costs that are associated with the employment of personnel, such as wages in kind, holiday allowances and refunds for training costs made by the employee. Besides, wage subsidies are deducted. In this table, figures are presented according to the definition of Eurostat and the European Commission.
In addition to the nominal unit labour costs, Statistics Netherlands presents quarterly figures on unit wage costs in the table 'Loonkosten per eenheid product; nationale rekeningen'. The wage costs are the total of wages, social contributions paid by employers and taxes on wage costs minus wage cost subsidies.
Sources:
The data are from Statistics Netherlands' national accounts.
Calculation of the scoreboard indicator:
Nominal unit labour costs are calculated on the basis of available data: compensation of employees, gross domestic product (price level 2010), number of employees and number of persons employed. Subsequently, the percentage change compared to three years previously is calculated.
Interpretation of the indicator:
Positive growth means that labour costs are rising faster than labour productivity, which may adversely affect the competitiveness in the long term.
Upper and lower limits:
For this indicator, the European Commission has set only an upper limit: + 9 percent for Eurozone countries and + 12 percent for non-Eurozone countries.
- Unemployment rate; 3-year average
- Unemployment rate, international definition, %, three-year moving average.
The unemployment rate is defined as the unemployed labour force as a percentage of the total labour force.
The international definition (ILO definition) of unemployment is used here. This includes all persons between 15 and 75 years of age without paid work who are actively looking for work and are also available to start work. The national definition of unemployment for the Netherlands includes persons aged between 15 and 65 years without paid work, or with paid work for less than 12 hours per week, who are actively looking for work for 12 hours or more per week and also available to start work.
Sources:
The data are compiled by the Statistics Netherlands (CBS), which publishes the unemployment rate for the Netherlands monthly, according to both the international and the national definition.
Calculation of the scoreboard indicator:
Based on the monthly unemployment rate, a moving three-year annual average is calculated.
Interpretation of the indicator:
Alongside economic growth and inflation, unemployment is one of the main macroeconomic indicators. A rise in unemployment, other than being a social problem, also means that government expenditure on social benefits increases and tax revenues decline. Furthermore, an increase in unemployment has a negative impact on consumption. A high and persistent unemployment may indicate a lack of adaptability of an economy.
Upper and lower limits:
For this indicator, the European Commission has set only an upper limit: +10 percent. - Activity rate
- Activity rate (15-64), 3-years change
- This indicator shows the change in activity rate expressed in percentage points compared to three years previously. The activity rate is defined as the active population as a percentage of the total population in the age category 15-64. The active population is defined as the sum of the employed and the unemployed labour force. The employed labour force consists of people who get paid for working one or more hours per week. The unemployed labour force consists of people who are actively looking for work (one or more hours per week) and directly available.
Sources:
The figures are compiled by Statistics Netherlands.
Calculation of the scoreboard indicator:
The activity rate is published in this table every quarter. Subsequently, a moving four-quarter average and the resulting change on three years previously are calculated. The change on three years previously in percentage points is published.
Interpretation of the indicator:
The activity rate shows which percentage of the population supplies its labour on the labour market. A positive change indicates that more people are available for work, whereas a drop indicates the opposite.
Upper and lower limits:
The European Commission has set a lower limit of -0.2 percentage points.