The debate of the EU Social Affairs Ministers revealed differences of opinion on the proposal for a directive on minimum wages on Thursday, 3 December, during a first briefing by the German EU Council Presidency at a videoconference meeting of the Employment and Social Policy Council.
Several Member States, including France, Italy, Luxembourg and Belgium, have openly welcomed the European Commission’s proposal, for its “balanced“ approach that addresses both the issue of wages and social dialogue (see EUROPE 12591/8).
However, despite further clarifications on the scope of the directive by the Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, who insisted on respect for national traditions, Denmark and Sweden expressed their strong opposition to the draft directive.
These two Member States, supported by the Netherlands, stressed the importance of the expected Opinion of the EU Council Legal Service on the legal basis of the legislative proposal (see EUROPE 12600/28). In Denmark’s view, one has to wait for this Opinion before negotiations in the EU Council can begin.
Questioned by EUROPE, Mr Schmit indicated that the European Commission could always propose, if necessary, a new legal basis. “But I am optimistic that the legal basis we have chosen is the right one and therefore I am not putting myself in that hypothetical position” of a rejection of the legal basis by the EU Council, he said.
Hubertus Heil, the German Minister for Labour and Social Affairs, said that the Opinion had already been forwarded to the Member States, an assertion a source denied to EUROPE. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)