Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση

This year’s annual review presents the discussions around minimum wage setting that took place in the EU Member States and Norway during 2025 and led to the new rates for 2026. It includes information on countries with and without a national minimum wage. It provides data on the significant progress on national minimum wages over the past decade; minimum wages have typically outperformed inflation and there have been increases in average wages in most countries.

Today, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, Roxana Mînzatu received the first conclusions of the European Skills High-Level Board, presented by its Chair, Ylva Johansson. 

Over the past year, national minimum wages continued to rise substantially across the EU, especially in central and eastern European countries, continuing the narrowing of regional disparities. The EU Minimum Wage Directive has emerged as a significant driver of minimum wage hikes in many countries, which have exceeded inflation levels and increased faster than collectively agreed wage floors in many low-paid sectors.

The 2026 European Employment and Social Rights Forum explored how Europe can secure quality jobs, fair opportunities and effective social protection, while adapting to technological change, economic pressures and an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment.