German minimum wage rule contrary to EU Law – Kosiniak-Kamysz
16:11
German minimum wage law is in contradiction with EU Law, according to Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Minister of Labor and Social Policy. He stated that the matter will be raised with German administration and other EU countries.
“Together with a coalition of European countries taking the view that Germany minimum wage is in contradiction with EU law, we will appeal to the Latvian presidency to deal immediately with the matter. The final decision, however, is largely up to the European Commision,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said.
PM Ewa Kopacz, referring to the issue, said during a press conference that she “will always protect Polish entrepreneurs, Polish workplaces and the single European market.”
According to a law that came into force on January 1, 2015 in Germany, all employees working on the German territory regardless of where their employer is based have to be paid a minimum wage of €8.5 an hour. The law would decrease the competitiveness of Polish freight and transport companies, once applied to Polish drivers. The law was temporary suspended on Friday, after negotiations between Polish Minister of Labor and his German counterpart.
