Almost all of the 22 EU Member States with a national minimum wage have now updated their rates for 2026. Belgium, Estonia and Greece announced increases effective from 1 April, with hikes ranging from approximately 4% to 7%, outstripping national inflation rates currently sitting between 2% and 3.5%. Only Luxembourg and Romania are still to implement their scheduled increases in July.
Three of the five EU Member States that did not raise their minimum wage in January opted for an increase starting 1 April 2026. Estonia was the first to act, announcing a 6.8% rise on 16 February. This move sees the Estonian minimum wage rise from €866 to €956 gross per month. On 26 March, Greece followed suit, approving a 4.5% hike in line with recommendations from the Scientific Committee responsible for determining minimum wage levels.
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Article authors
Nathalie Tran
Editor-in-Chief Mind HR