EU member states should follow the UK Government in tackling age-based pay discrimination by eliminating lower rates of statutory minimum wages for young people.
The new UK Government has announced that it is “taking the first steps towards making rates the same for everyone, regardless of age, by narrowing the gap between the National Minimum Wage, for 18–20-year-olds, and the National Living Wage.”
Eight EU member states currently allow sub-minimum rates of pay for young people, allowing employers to pay young people up to 70% less than the statutory minimum wage.
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is calling on those member states to eliminate the sub-minimum rates as part of the transposition of the EU Minimum Wages Directive into their national law, which must be done by 15 November 2024.
| Member State | % of full statutory minimum wage paid |
| Belgium | 67-90 depending on age |
| Cyprus | 75 for certain roles |
| France | 27 to 90 depending on age and role |
| Ireland | 70 to 90 depending on age |
| Luxembourg | 75 to 80 depending on age |
| Malta | 96 to 97 depending on age |
| Netherlands | 30 to 80 depending on age |
| Portugal | 80 for certain roles |
Source: Eurofound: Minimum wages in 2024: Annual review. Table 2.
ETUC Confederal Secretary Tea Jarc said:
“The UK Government has rightly recognised the discrimination being faced by young people across Europe who are often paid substantially less despite facing the same rising cost of living.
“Sub-minimum wages are a clear example of age-based discrimination, where young people are being paid less, solely because of their age.
“This practice contradicts the entire point of a minimum wage and, rather than opening up job opportunities for young people, is actually helping to keep young workers in poverty.
“Young workers have to pay the same rates of income tax and pay the same prices for food and rent, so it is only fair for them to be eligible for the same rates of pay.
“Every worker deserves equal pay for the work of the same value and we must eliminate all types of discrimination in the labour market.
“EU member states have to put the Minimum Wage Directive into their national law by November and they should take this opportunity to end sub-minimum rates of statutory wages.”
Photo: European Commission/Cristina Quicler
