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“Is an agreement possible in the next six months? I hope so, but that does not depend on the Commission ”, the European Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, begins clarifying in an interview with the Lusa agency in Brussels.
And he adds: “I hope so, [que haja acordo] or that, at least, enough progress can be made in this area, to conclude this issue in the not too distant future ”.
The definition of a fair and decent European minimum wage is anticipated as the most difficult battle in the negotiation of the action plan of the Pillar of Social Rights, something that Portugal wants to see approved during its presidency of the EU, in the first half of 2021, given the differences between 27.
“As I understand it from the Minister of Labor [Ana Mendes Godinho], that will be a priority and a topic that will be worked on a lot ”during the Portuguese leadership of the EU, says Nicolas Schmit in the interview with Lusa.
Admitting difficulties in negotiating this proposal by the community executive, the official says that he still expects “a positive dynamic” in the first half of next year.
Above all because, according to Nicolas Schmit, “low wages will not allow the EU to recover” from the crisis that Covid-19 brought.
Noting that, even outside of this European law, some countries have already increased their minimum wage, the European Commissioner gives the Portuguese example.
“The minimum wage has been increasing significantly in Portugal and there is an intention to adapt it even more in the next four years”, highlights the socialist politician.
The Social Pillar is a non-binding text to promote these rights in Europe and in which, in addition to other issues, reference is made to remuneration, arguing that “workers have the right to a fair wage that guarantees them a decent standard of living. ”.
According to the document, wages within the European bloc must “be set in a transparent and predictable way, in accordance with national practices and respecting the autonomy of the social partners.”
The European Commission presented in October its legislative proposal in this regard, despite being aware of the difficulties in the negotiations in the Council, having insisted that it does not want to impose values on countries, but rather indicators to guarantee a dignified quality of life to countries. workers.
The issue raises legal doubts since, although it does not intend to harmonize the values of minimum wages in Europe, it presses an increase in the minimum wage in the countries that have determined it by law.
The treaties recognize the competence of each member state in setting wages, but the Commission is justified by a flexible interpretation that integrates wages into working conditions. For some lawyers, if this constitutes a directive, the result will be interference in national powers.
Currently, 21 Member States have a statutory minimum wage, while in the remaining six (Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Italy and Sweden) this only exists through collective bargaining. It is mainly these six countries that are opposed to the concept.
Against the proposal are also business associations, who argue that it can endanger the viability of European companies, already heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic crisis.
Brussels completely discards the idea of an equal minimum wage for 27.
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