Brussels, 20/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - Total hourly labour costs in the Euro-zone rose at an annual rate of 2.4% in the fourth quarter of 2005. In the EU 25 the annual rise was 2.9%. In the previous quarter the corresponding rates were 2.1% and 2.5%. In the EU25, wages and salaries rose by 3.2% and the non-wage component by 2.1%. The smallest annual increases were recorded in Germany (0.4%), Portugal (0.7%), Malta (2.0%), Sweden (2.8%), and Denmark (2.9%) while the highest annual rises were found in Latvia (16.6%), Estonia (14.2%), Lithuania (13.7%) and Slovakia (9.2%). Annual growth in the wages and salaries component ranged from 0.8% in Germany to 16.8% in Latvia. The range for non-wage costs was from -1.0% in Germany to 17.6% in Latvia.