Hourly labour costs in the euro area rose by 2.0% in the year up to the first quarter of 2012, compared with 2.8% for the previous quarter, Eurostat reported today. In the European Union, the annual rise was 1.7% up to the first quarter of 2012, compared with 2.7% for the previous quarter. In the euro area, wages and salaries per hour worked grew by 2.0% in the year up to…