As of 1 January 2022, 21 out of the 27 EU Member States have national minimum wages, making Denmark, Italy, Cyprus, Austria, Finland and Sweden the exceptions. Based on their levels in euro, those 21 Member States can be divided into three main groups. Monthly minimum wages below €1 000 in 13 EU countries, above €1 500 in 6 The 21 EU Member States that have national minimum wages can be divided into three main groups based on their levels in euro. In January 2022, 13 Member States, located in the east and the south of the EU, had minimum wages below €1 000 per month: Bulgaria (€332), Latvia (€500), Romania (€515), Hungary (€542), Croatia (€624), Slovakia (€646), Czechia (€652), Estonia (€654), Poland (€655), Lithuania (€730), Greece (€774), Malta (€792) and Portugal (€823). In Slovenia (€1 074) and Spain (€1 126) minimum wages ranged just over €1 000 per month, while in the remaining six Member States, minimum wages were above €1 500 per month: France (€1 603), Germany (€1 621), Belgium (€1 658), the Netherlands (€1 725), Ireland (€1 775) and Luxembourg (€2 257). For comparison, the federal minimum wage in the United States was €1 110 in January 2022. Smaller gaps in minimum wages once price level differences are eliminated Across the group of 21 Member States in analysis, the highest minimum wage was almost 7 times higher than the lowest. However, the disparities are considerably smaller once price level differences are taken into account. When expressed in purchasing power standard (PPS), minimum wages in the Member States with lower price levels become relatively higher compared with those in the Member States with higher price levels. By eliminating price differences, minimum wages ranged from 604 PPS per month in Bulgaria to 1 707 PPS in Luxembourg, meaning that the highest minimum wage was almost 3 times higher than the lowest. Based on this, it is possible to distinguish two main groups: group 1 with a national minimum wage above PPS 1 000, and group 2 with a national minimum wage below PPS 1 000. Group 1 includes Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Ireland, Slovenia, Spain, Poland and Lithuania. Their national minimum wages ranged from PPS 1 038 in Lithuania to PPS 1 707 in Luxembourg. While group 2 includes Romania, Portugal, Malta, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Czechia, Estonia, Slovakia, Latvia and Bulgaria. The national minimum wages for this group ranged from PPS 604 in Bulgaria to PPS 949 in Romania. All candidate and potential candidate countries with a national minimum wage belong to group 2, with minimum wage levels ranging from PPS 401 in Albania to PPS 888 in Montenegro. The United States (PPS 920) belong to group 2.
Ion Iliescu, Romania’s first president after the fall of communism in December 1989 and one of the country’s most influential and controversial political figures, died on Tuesday, August 5, at the age of 95. His death was announced by the government, which expressed condolences to his family and stated that details regarding the state funeral […]
A large medieval cemetery was discovered this week at the Hasdeu High School in Lugoj, western Romania. The complex may have extensions into the surrounding yards and a high historical importance. Although the excavations are only just beginning, with an estimated 10% of the necessary work completed so far, the discoveries have already showed promise. […]
A trilateral working meeting for the creation of a regional cybersecurity alliance between Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine took place on July 30 in Chernivtsi, Ukraine. The establishment of such a union would boost Romania's role in region. "The National Cybersecurity Directorate considers that the initiative to establish a cybersecurity coalition between Romania, […]
Two Dacian gold bracelets from the collection of the National History Museum of Romania (MNIR) have been recently 3D scanned as part of a digital preservation project highlighting these exceptional archaeological pieces. The initiative, launched by the museum, aims to showcase the artistry and cultural significance of Dacian goldsmithing. Crafted with remarkable skill, the spiral-shaped […]
Arad, a city in western Romania dubbed the “Little Vienna,” will organize a celebration of its history and culture in the Austrian capital, between August 8 and 20. The Days of Arad Culture begin on August 8 with the photo exhibition "Arad of Yesterday and Today," which will highlight the architectural connection of the city […]
In a report published on Tuesday, August 5, the Group of States against Corruption, or GRECO, said that Romania has fully implemented two of the 26 recommendations made in the 2023 Fifth Round Evaluation Report on preventing corruption and promoting integrity among top executive functions of the central government and law enforcement. Out of the […]
