Partial exemption from minimum wage also on the waterway

„Mindestlohn“ in Germany: Application of minimum wage law for pure transit traffic also suspended for river shipping companies

Andrea Nahles, German Federal Minister of Labour has temporarily suspended the application of the minimum wage law for transit traffic. However, her initial explanation at the end of last week has led to irritations, as she only had mentioned transit traffic in the segment of road cargo transport.

On demand of the Federal Association of German Inland Waterways (Bundesverband der Deutschen Binnenschifffahrt e.V. BDB) it was expressly confirmed in Berlin that also transit traffic by barge is now excluded from the minimum wage law until further notice. In 2013 transit traffic on German waterways accounted for a share of more than 21 per cent of cargo transport.

This exception applies only for transit, but not for freight services that have their source or destination in Germany, or for German domestic transportations carried out by a foreign company. The reason for this special treatment of transit traffic is that doubts incurred about legal compliance with European law in this particular case.

Also in the view of the river shipping industry it is necessary to ensure that the minimum wage law is consistent with European law, which is in doubt. The European Barge Union (EBU) has, therefore, submitted a complaint to the European Commission in Brussels and the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine in Strasbourg and asked for verification.

www.Binnenschiff.de

Quelle: LogEastics
Portal: www.logistik-express.com