Danish government remains fixed on overturning EU minimum wage directives

By Ebad Ahmed

COPANHAGEN (AA) - The new three-party Danish coalition vowed to continue to challenge EU minimum wage directives in the bloc's court.

"In Denmark it is the labour market parties which negotiate the terms of wages. On that basis, labour market parties are also against the EU directive in minimum wages," says the agreement reached last week between the constituent parties from both the left and right.

Denmark and Sweden oppose the EU minimum wage directives as they come against the established labor models adopted in both Scandinavian countries, where wages are decided by trade unions and employers through a process of negotiations.

The directives aren't binding for either country as the EU Commission has maintained that it was not mandatory for the Danish government to incorporate the minimum wage into the country's law, commission President Ursula von der Leyen said there would be "full respect for national traditions and the autonomy of labour market partners." The coalition government nonetheless remains set on getting the directives annulled by the bloc's highest law forum.

In Denmark, trade unions and the left-wing Red Green Alliance (Enhedslisten) party have strongly maintained that the country should approach the EU court on the minimum wage directive.

Danish Employment Minister Peter Hummelgaard, alongside Swedish representatives, led a joint call with nine EU countries expressing their reservations over the minimum wage directives.

The European commissioner for jobs and social rights, in view of addressing the growing unease over this issue, has reportedly said the measures pose no threat to the existing Danish labour model.