Minimum wages in 2019

According to the Eurofound’s annual review of minimum wages in the EU, there have been wage increases for minimum and low-wage earners in most EU Member States, with rises in statutory minimum wages in almost all countries since January 2018; including significant increases in Lithuania, Spain, Greece and low-wage newer Member States. While these increases are welcomed as good news for minimum wage workers, Eurofound’s research shows workers may not automatically feel the positive impacts of these changes in terms of income and reductions in wage inequality. This is because these increases can be offset by changes in taxation; that there are many groups of workers that do not avail of minimum rates; and, although women are proportionately more likely to work in minimum wage jobs, increasing the minimum wage may not mean closing the gender pay gap.

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Implementation of recognition of professional qualifications

Professionals in the EU Single Market can move across borders and practice their occupation or provide services in another Member States. The EU has put rules in place to make it easier for professionals, such as doctors or architects, to have their professional qualifications recognised in another Member State. The Professional Qualifications Directive (Directive 2013/55/EU) was modernised in 2013 and had to be transposed into national law by 18 January 2016 according to the press release of European Commission.

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