No minimum wage for Polish transit truckers in Germany

Morawiecki announced the news after a meeting with Germany's Deputy Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel in Berlin on Wednesday. The two officials were taking part in intergovernmental talks held between the Polish and German Cabinets.

"I have received information that transport companies travelling, for example, from Poland to France, Austria and Belgium via Germany will not be bound by the minimum rate,“ Morawiecki told Polish news agency PAP. The requirement, however, still stands for lorries heading to Germany itself.

Poland has been strongly opposed to German moves to set a minimum wage for foreign truck drivers, saying this would infringe the principles of a European single market and freedom of services.

Germany, where average wages are much higher than in Poland, introduced a minimum rate of EUR 8.50 an hour for lorry drivers in 2015, dealing a blow to Polish transport companies, which have the second-largest truck fleet in Europe.

France is planning to introduce the same policy for the transport sector in July.

In May 2015, the European Commission launched a legal procedure against Berlin, citing an infringement of European rules. The commission has also sent a letter of formal notice to Paris, the first stage of legal proceedings. (aba/pk)

Source: PAP