The average Italian earns only half as much as their Dutch or German counterpart.

Eurostat’s most recent report Labour Market Statistics compares the gross incomes of EU member states for 2009.

It was already known that workers in Northern Europe made more than their southern counterparts, but the report shows that even Greek and Spanish workers earn a higher average gross income than Italians.

Only Portugal, Slovenia, Malta and Slovakia have lower annual incomes.

The rapport puts the Dutch in second place after the Luxembourgers, who earn a gross income averaging nearly 49,000 euros a year.

(gsh/imm)

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