The salaries to GDP ratio in Romania is among the lowest in Europe, and has been falling steadily, according to a study by the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), which analyzes wage developments in Central and Eastern Europe over the last twenty years.

The study shows that the percentage has been continuously decreasing, from 39% in 2008 to 32% in 2015, reports local Profit.ro. In the EU, the salaries had an average share of 47.5% in the GDP, according to EU’s statistical office.

According to the study, low wages have become a feature of Central and Eastern Europe, an area that could remain stuck on these wages if governments and the European Union do not take action.

The document also shows that productivity grew more than the real wages in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latvia, Slovenia, and Estonia between 2008 and 2015. In Romania and Croatia, real wages declined while productivity increased.

editor@romania-insider.com