Apart from Denmark, Italy, Cyprus, Austria, Finland, and Sweden not having a national minimum wage, the lowest wage in countries across Europe varies, with Luxembourg having the highest (€2,313.3) and Bulgaria (€363) recording the lowest.
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According to data from the European Office for Statistics, Eurostat shows that only Albania has a minimum wage lower than Bulgaria – about €268, while Turkey and Serbia record €373 and €401 national minimum wage, respectively, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
Other countries that are considered to have some of the lowest minimum wages are Latvia, Hungary, and Romania, with the amount standing from €500 to €515.
On the other hand, countries with the highest minimum wages in Europe, excluding Luxembourg, include Belgium (€1,842), Ireland (1,774), and the Netherlands (€1,756).
The remaining countries with wages of more than €1,000 include the following:
- Germany (€1,744)
- France (€1,645)
- Spain (€1,166)
- Slovenia (€1,074)
The national minimum wage of Luxembourg has increased by eight per cent since 2020, more specifically, from €2,141 to €2,313, while the minimum wage in Bulgaria was raised from €311 to €363, representing a 16.7 per cent increase.
Just recently, the governments of the Netherlands and France announced increases in minimum monthly salaries by 1.8 per cent and 2.01 per cent, respectively, aiming at providing better wages for inhabitants, thus a better life quality.
Moreover, the monthly gross minimum wage for employees over the age of 21 with full employment in the Netherlands has increased from €1,725 to €1,756, while other age groups witnessed different increases, as follows:
- For 15-year-olds, it increased from €517.50 to €526.85.
- for 16-year-olds, it increased from €595.15 to € 605.90
- for 17-year-olds, it increased from €681.40 to €693
- for 18-year-olds, it increased from €862.50 to € 878.10
- for 19-year-olds, the minimum wage increased from €1,035 to €1,053
- for 20-year-olds, increased from €1,380 to €1,0495
In addition, the French government has also increased the minimum salary from €1,302.64 to €1,329.06, representing a 2.01 per cent increase.
“Due to inflation, the minimum interprofessional growth wage will automatically increase on August 1 by 2.01 per cent. For a full-time worker, the monthly minimum wage will increase from €1,302.64 euros to €1,329.06 neto,”the statement of the French government reads.
The Parliament of the European Union earlier in July announced that MEPs have decided to give the green light to the new rules on minimum salaries for workers across the EU. MEPs noted that by introducing new rules on minimum salaries, they want to ensure a decent living standard.
