The key items under operating costs are described below. The reasons for material differences are described in the “Financial review” section of the interim directors’ report.
| Download XLS (22 kB) | 
| 
 (€ million)  | 
 First half 2013  | 
 First half 2014  | 
| 
 Purchases, services and other costs  | 
 339  | 
 324  | 
| 
 Personnel expense  | 
 170  | 
 170  | 
| 
 
  | 
 509  | 
 494  | 
Operating costs include the costs of building and upgrading distribution infrastructure in accordance with IFRIC 12 (€130 million and €140 million in the first half of 2013 and first half of 2014 respectively).
Purchases, services and other costs
Purchases, services and other costs (€324 million) break down as follows:
| Download XLS (23 kB) | 
| 
 (€ million)  | 
 First half 2013  | 
 First half 2014  | 
| 
 Costs for raw materials, consumables, supplies and goods  | 
 50  | 
 78  | 
| 
 Costs for services  | 
 212  | 
 224  | 
| 
 Costs for the use of third-party assets  | 
 41  | 
 44  | 
| 
 Change in raw materials, consumables, supplies and goods  | 
 61  | 
 7  | 
| 
 Net accrual to (utilisation of) provisions for risks and charges  | 
 5  | 
 (2)  | 
| 
 Other operating expenses  | 
 26  | 
 23  | 
| 
 
  | 
 395  | 
 374  | 
| 
 Less:  | 
 
  | 
 
  | 
| 
 Raw materials, consumables, supplies and goods:  | 
 
  | 
 
  | 
| 
 Increase on internal work – purchases  | 
 (30)  | 
 (19)  | 
| 
 
  | 
 (30)  | 
 (19)  | 
| 
 Services:  | 
 
  | 
 
  | 
| 
 Increase on internal work – services  | 
 (26)  | 
 (31)  | 
| 
 
  | 
 (26)  | 
 (31)  | 
| 
 
  | 
 339  | 
 324  | 
Costs for services of €193 million relate to:
| Download XLS (23 kB) | 
| 
 (€ million)  | 
 First half 2013  | 
 First half 2014  | 
| 
 Construction, planning and coordination of work  | 
 65  | 
 72  | 
| 
 IT (Information Technology) services  | 
 20  | 
 31  | 
| 
 Purchase of transportation capacity (interconnection)  | 
 27  | 
 28  | 
| 
 Technical, legal, administrative and professional services  | 
 11  | 
 19  | 
| 
 Personnel-related services  | 
 13  | 
 14  | 
| 
 Maintenance  | 
 16  | 
 11  | 
| 
 Insurance  | 
 11  | 
 11  | 
| 
 Utilities  | 
 11  | 
 10  | 
| 
 Telecommunications services  | 
 10  | 
 10  | 
| 
 Other services  | 
 28  | 
 18  | 
| 
 
  | 
 212  | 
 224  | 
| 
 Less:  | 
 
  | 
 
  | 
| 
 Increase on internal work capitalised in non-current assets – services  | 
 (26)  | 
 (31)  | 
| 
 
  | 
 (26)  | 
 (31)  | 
| 
 
  | 
 186  | 
 193  | 
Personnel expense
Personnel expense of €170 million breaks down as follows:
| Download XLS (22 kB) | 
| 
 (€ million)  | 
 First half 2013  | 
 First half 2014  | 
| 
 Wages and salaries  | 
 139  | 
 137  | 
| 
 Social security contributions (pensions and healthcare assistance)  | 
 43  | 
 43  | 
| 
 Employee benefits  | 
 3  | 
 3  | 
| 
 Other expenses  | 
 12  | 
 13  | 
| 
 Less:  | 
 
  | 
 
  | 
| 
 Increase on internal work – personnel expense  | 
 (27)  | 
 (26)  | 
| 
 
  | 
 170  | 
 170  | 
The average number of payroll employees included in the scope of consolidation, broken down by status, is as follows:
| Download XLS (22 kB) | 
| 
 Professional status (number)  | 
 30.06.2013  | 
 31.12.2013  | 
 30.06.2014  | 
| 
 Executives  | 
 116  | 
 117  | 
 120  | 
| 
 Managers  | 
 571  | 
 573  | 
 587  | 
| 
 Office workers  | 
 3,250  | 
 3,255  | 
 3,279  | 
| 
 Manual workers  | 
 2,095  | 
 2,089  | 
 2,056  | 
| 
 
  | 
 6,032  | 
 6,034  | 
 6,042  | 
The average number of employees is calculated as the average monthly figure.
Amortisation, depreciation and impairment losses
Amortisation, depreciation and impairment losses of €384 million break down as follows:
| Download XLS (22 kB) | 
| 
 (€ million)  | 
 First half 2013  | 
 First half 2014  | 
| 
 Amortisation and depreciation  | 
 
  | 
 
  | 
| 
 Property, plant and equipment  | 
 264  | 
 264  | 
| 
 Intangible assets  | 
 112  | 
 120  | 
| 
 
  | 
 376  | 
 384  | 
Amortisation and depreciation (€384 million) relate to the natural gas transportation (€241 million), distribution (€109 million), storage (€29 million), regasification (€3 million) and corporate (€2 million) segments.