Germany: standoff over national plan to boost collective bargaining

Under the EU Adequate Minimum Wages Directive, Germany is required to produce an action plan to boost collective bargaining coverage. That plan has stalled, however, after being blocked by the economy ministry, while a vote on the proposed law on "compliance with collective agreements" (Bundestariftreuegesetz, BTTG) — intended to form part of the package — was halted in November 2025 following pressure from conservative groups, prompting unions to denounce the move as a provocation.