Denmark concerned over EU proposal on the minimum wage

the EUROPEAN Commission has not taken a position on how the proposals on the minimum wage to be designed. Denmark fears the directive. In both the trade union

Denmark concerned over EU proposal on the minimum wage

the EUROPEAN Commission has not taken a position on how the proposals on the minimum wage to be designed. Denmark fears the directive.

In both the trade unions and the government sugar after a guarantee that the EU will not introduce a minimum wage through a framework directive, since it is assessed as a serious threat to the Danish labour market model.

the Concern is that the EUROPEAN Court of justice earlier have over-ridden national specificities to the rules in the labour market, which otherwise was secured in the directives.

the EU Commission will not relate to the specific challenge with the court, but is equivalent to the following on the proposal, which is expected in the first half of 2020:

- In accordance with (EUROPEAN Commission president, ed.) Ursula von der Leyens policy guidelines will a any proposal reflect, that the minimum wage should be determined by national practice through collective agreements or legislative provisions, says a spokesman to the news agency Ritzau.

Similar promises are given before, but it protect not the trade union movement and the government. You fear a "dynamic interpretation" of the directive, if it ends up in the EUROPEAN Court of justice.

the EUROPEAN Commission has not settled on how the proposal should be. A consultation process be initiated as soon as possible.

the minimum Wage is a very high priority for the EUROPEAN Commission. President Ursula von der Leyen has mentioned it in his major speeches since she was elected to the post in July 2019.

- President von der Leyen has promised to introduce a legal tool that ensures that union workers get a fair minimumløn. It should ensure them a decent life. Regardless of where they work, the spokesman said.

minister for Employment Peter Hummelgaard (S) on Monday and Tuesday held a series of meetings in Brussels with the aim of ensuring the Danish model.

- If it must be in direktivformat, as I find it difficult to see that the commission will not go after, when you have done this to so great a part of its program, so we are concerned.

- We are strongly concerned about the form in which you want to promote this proposal, he says.

He finds it paradoxical that you look at the nordic countries ' social models with admiration, while "so choose a tool that is the exact opposite of what has made the nordic countries so strong, confident and right".

Bente Sorgenfrey, who is vice-president of The trade union's principal organization, is holding Wednesday's meeting with Mr Short, who is the director of the directorate-general for employment of the EUROPEAN Commission.

Here she will again push for, to avoid a directive.

- They have not really wanted to go into the debate on the EUROPEAN Court of justice can overrule. As we have said several times - also in the consultations, says the Sorgenfrey.

the trade Unions have got prepared a legal memorandum that demonstrates that the EUROPEAN Court of justice will be able to override specific terms in a directive on the minimum wage.

- If you could give us some guarantees that it will not happen, then it could well be that we are breathing a little easier, but they haven't been able to yet, she says.

/ritzau/

Date Of Update: 10 December 2019, 20:00
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