Europe is one of the most prosperous regions in the world. People living in the European Union enjoy some of the best living and working conditions and the most comprehensive social protection systems. However, outside of the global context, the situation looks different. For many people, work no longer pays enough to provide viable protection against poverty. In fact, in 2019, 9% of all workers in the EU (17.5 million people) were living at risk of poverty despite being in employment.1
The percentage is significantly higher in certain Member States, in specific sectors of the economy and especially for people in vulnerable situations.2 Moreover, in-work poverty is expected to have increased significantly due to the socio-economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to have a devastating impact on people’s lives and incomes.
However, the Directive must define criteria to guarantee that minimum wages are adequate and ensure a decent standard of living. It must also be as inclusive of all workers as possible. Only if this is achieved does the Directive have the potential to contribute to improving the living and working conditions of millions of people, while fostering upward social convergence across Member States and building inclusive and resilient societies.
IFSW Europe, part of Social Platform, prepare a number of recomandationto guarantee adequate minimum wages.
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