EU Sources - Court confirms validity of large part of minimum wage directive - November 30, 2025

The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled against Denmark and Sweden’s attempt to fully annul the EU Minimum Wage Directive, upholding its validity. Denmark argued wage‑setting should remain with social partners. The ruling reinforces the need for strong collective‑bargaining coverage. The court confirmed "the validity of most of the directive in question" in its ruling, arguing that it does not amount to direct interference by EU law woth the Member State’s competences in determining pay and with the right of association. ETUC issued a statement stressing that, following the CJEU decision, the EU Minimum Wage Directive is legally secure and should lead to higher wage floors. According to the ETUC, Member States must now meet adequacy benchmarks and raise collective‑bargaining coverage to 80%. Without strong social‑dialogue frameworks, real‑wage erosion will persist.

Read on: in English… Read on: in English (2)… Read on the press release: in English…

For more information, please contact Paul de Beer or Oana Ciuca, De Burcht (Scientific Bureau for the Dutch Trade Union Movement) p.t.debeer@uva.nl or the Head of communications at the ETUI, Mehmet Koksal mkoksal@etui.org. For previous full issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit https://www.etui.org/Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter or consult the archive with all articles in our database at www.cbnarchive.eu.
You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org.