EU May Not Regulate Member States’ Minimum Wages at Substantive Level, CJEU Rules

May the European Union dictate how minimum wages are set in the member states? With its judgment of November 11, 2025 (C-19/23) on the EU Minimum Wage Directive (Directive (EU) 2022/2041), the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) draws a clear line for the first time: the European Union may not regulate minimum wages on a substantive level.