article 153: the union try is best to improve the working environment, working conditions, social security, social exclusion, equality between men and women. It can not be applied to the right of association, the right to strike or the right to impose lock-outs. The wage is controlled by the member states, so formally EU can make no binding interventions, even if influenced wages policies. The 2008 economic crisis demonstrated a need for stronger economic governance and this concept was reinforced by the creation of the European semester, which had the aim of providing better coordination between the EU member states and economic policies. . The European semester was established in 2010 (aims at surveillance and coordination of economic and employment policies across the European Union). Since then, in order to tell countries which are not in good economic situation, the EU gave countries strict recommendations and sanctions in case they don't follow them. After the great recession of 2008 the EU focused mainly on:
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Internal devaluation (cost competitiveness): it is an economic and social policy option whose aim is to restore the international competitiveness of some country mainly by reducing its labour costs, either wages or the indirect costs of employers. It is the replacement of the currency devaluation of the 80s and it is all about making labour rules more friendly for businesses. EU suggest keeping wages in line with productivity > if a country is not able to increase productivity, it shouldn’t even increase wages
**EU is approving a directive of adequate minimum wage but since formally EU doesn’t influence wages, it is only suggesting criteria to set adequate minimum wages