MEPs say Germany discriminates against foreign road carriers

Mazuronis expects a prompt and clear answer from the European Commission whether new requirements for carriers from other countries in Germany do not violate the legislation of the European Community. According to him, not only the minimum wage issue but a number of other requirements raise questions, such as filling in additional forms, notifications about employees, presentation of reports to German institutions. Mazuronis believes this to be a hidden attempt to restrict competition.

According to him, the initiative to refer to the European Commission received wide support from MEPs from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

Road carriers of these countries were outraged when legal amendments took effect in Germany on 1 January 2015. The new legislation stipulates that the minimum hourly wage of a worker operating in Germany has to be no less than EUR 8.5. The rule is applied not only to people residing in Germany but to employees or employers who do not live there, for example, road carriers who have to cross the country.

Although Lithuanian road carriers have addressed the European Commission asking to elucidate if such requirements do not contravene EU laws, they are yet to receive an answer. Mazuronis says the inclusion of the issue in the European Parliament’s plenary sitting agenda will force the European Commission to react to the situation more actively and promptly.

“I find Germany’s decision unjustified and discriminating against the interests of Lithuanian carriers. Perhaps they are too strong and pose a danger, so they have to be driven out. Requirements applied to carriers also seem odd because by the same logic Germany could demand all goods sold in Germany to be manufactured paying EUR 8.5 hourly wages. This would be absurd,” said MEP Mazuronis.