Analyzes & Data

A decade on from Angela Merkel's 'Wir schaffen das' ('we can do this') speech on 31 August 2015, in the face of a sharp rise in the number of asylum seekers arriving in Germany, researchers and media outlets are conducting more studies on how well the migrants who arrived in Germany during that period have integrated into the labour market. The findings suggest integration is largely succeeding, despite a tougher economic and political climate.

In July, the UK parliament’s Committee on Human Rights delivered a stark warning: British firms are falling short in tackling forced labour within their supply chains. MPs and peers on the committee called for tougher laws, including mandatory due diligence requirements, to close the gap.

As of 1 July 2025, the average annual increase in the national minimum wage in the European Union is well above the rise of the cost of living. It stands at 6.4% for an annual inflation rate of 2.3% at the end of June. Only four European countries out of the 22 that have a minimum wage have implemented a second increase since the beginning of the year, including Greece, which crossed the threshold of €1,000 gross per month in April.

The Bertelsmann Foundation, one of Germany's leading think tanks, has published its annual study on prospects in the youth apprenticeship and training sector. The analysis reveals a worrying trend, whereby a growing number of young people would rather earn a living straight away in unskilled jobs than pursue training. In the federal states, the 'internship bonus' seems to be increasingly attractive to young people, drawing them into the world of work.

At a time when a bill on the employment of experienced workers is about to be adopted in France, mind RH has analysed French company agreements on the employment of older workers that have been signed since the dedicated national interprofessional agreement (accord national interprofessionnel, ANI) of 14 November 2024. Though our analysis shows that social partners recognise the need to support the employability of workers aged 50 and over, measures to facilitate early retirement remain the preferred option.

The US President's executive order and pressure over companies' diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) programmes are continuing to have an impact on Germany's major multinationals. This time it is Siemens Energy that is abolishing quotas for women in management. However, as the recent ESG 2025 study by the Dresden University of Technology (TUD) points out, this setback is not just the result of Donald Trump's policies, nor is it uniform.

On 26 June, French retirement home group Clariane signed a health and safety agreement with its European Works Council and the European Federation of Public Service Unions. The agreement extends a protocol signed in 2021 and incorporates mental health into the text that serves as a framework for the group's national subsidiaries in Europe. Mathilde Tabary, the company's director of social relations, told mind RH about the challenges of implementing the agreement.

Germany wants to significantly increase its military personnel to bolster its ability to defend itself. This push will involve reintroducing military service, either voluntary or compulsory, and doubling the number of reservists. Last week, Chancellor Friedrich Merz asked businesses to support this effort whatever the cost. While waiting for a new legislative framework, the business community is discussing the impact of such measures on labour availability and on the training opportunities offered by the army.

On 18 June, the management of Michelin France reached a deal with all the trade unions present on a new four-year agreement governing remote work. It lowers the limit on remote working days from three to two per week, while giving employees six months to adapt. However, the agreement introduces exceptions for family or medical reasons, as well as a trial of teleworking in one of the tyre manufacturer's factories.

Early retirement is becoming increasingly popular in Germany. However, more and more often, people who opt for this scheme then go on to receive benefits designed to keep older people in work. While this combination is advantageous for pensioners who continue to work, it could prove costly and counterproductive for the federal government and companies in sectors facing a shortage of skilled labour. Criticism is on the rise.

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, the independent bottler of American giant Coca-Cola, has signed its first agreement in France on remote work since Covid-19, with all of its trade unions. The agreement, signed in April 2025, grants employees two days of telework per week, creates additional flexibility for pregnant women and those undergoing fertility treatment, and defines a list of factory positions that are eligible for the scheme.

French insurer Apicil (2,000 employees) signed a new four-year agreement on diversity and inclusion with the CFDT, CFE-CGC and UNSA trade unions on 18 February 2025. Through this agreement, the group reaffirmed its commitments on eight priority areas, which are designed to cover the 26 criteria for discrimination established by law, while raising its targets as part of a continuous improvement process, particularly in terms of gender equality and parenthood.