European Commissioner Joaquin Almunia plans to make all 27 states in the European Union ensure a minimum income. In an interview for the German newspaper “Die Zeit”, Almunia says that, although the idea may seem unrealistic, authorities in Brussels may force the EU member states to adopt such a measure in the future.
Germany doesn't have yet a general minimum income, although the state signed a deal in June, expanding the area of applicable minimum wage to several sectors of the economy.
German social democrats fight to obtain a general minimum income law, while chancellor Angela Merkel's party strongly opposes the idea.
According to Reuters, 20 states in the EU ensure a legal minimum income: Belgium, Bulgaria, Spain, Estonia, Greece, France, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Holland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, UK and the Czech Republic.
