The Left Group in the European Parliament has given a mixed reception to the agreement on adequate minimum wages in the European Union (see EUROPE 12966/12).
For La France Insoumise (LFI), Parliament and EU Council negotiators stuck to a “minimum service”, with Leïla Chaibi even evoking a “watered-down” agreement.
The French delegation of the Group considers that, “far from the great victory claimed by the Macronists, this Directive only sets out obligations of means without any concrete and immediate consequences for millions of European workers”. The delegation criticises the fact that the agreement does not “oblige States to introduce a minimum wage for all workers”, “does not set any binding threshold in relation to the median or average wage”, and allows “certain categories of workers to be paid below the minimum wage”.
For the co-chairman of The Left Group, Martin Schirdewan from Germany, the agreement is a “step in the right direction” but is only a “drop in the ocean”. “The level in most Member States, including my country, is still below the existential minimum. It does not protect against poverty despite the work”, he said.
The provisional political agreement was presented on 8 June to the Member States’ ambassadors to the EU (Coreper). Some countries, including Germany and Sweden, have asked for a delay to take a position. The agreement will be submitted to the EPSCO Council on 16 June. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic with Anne Damiani and Aminata Niang)