The Greek government is finalizing an economic package for 2027 that would raise take-home pay for workers, families and pensioners, with the minimum wage potentially rising toward 1,000 euros.
The package, now in its final stage of preparation ahead of the Thessaloniki International Fair, is not limited to a single measure. It spans a range of interventions, from the minimum wage and social insurance contributions to tax support for families and deductions applied to pensions.
Four measures for workers
For employees, four interventions are at the center of the plan: a further reduction in social insurance contributions, a strong increase in the minimum wage, additional relief for families with children, and a higher limit on meal vouchers.
Support planned for pensioners
For pensioners, the plan includes upgrading the permanent monthly payment of 300 euros and changing how the Pensioners' Solidarity Contribution is calculated, so that deductions are reduced for those above a set income threshold. The contribution, known in Greece as EAS, is a levy on pension income above certain thresholds that was introduced during the country's debt crisis.
The measures form part of a broader plan running through 2030, aimed at gradually increasing real wages and pensions, provided the economy keeps growing at a rate close to 2.5%.
Minimum wage could approach 1,000 euros
The most significant change for workers concerns the minimum wage, currently set at 920 euros. The next increase, due in spring 2027, is being examined with a target strong enough not only to clear 950 euros but also to create the conditions for the minimum wage to approach 1,000 euros.
Such a rise would directly affect the pay of hundreds of thousands of workers, and would also have an indirect effect on benefits and allowances that are linked to the level of the minimum wage.
Longer-term planning envisages an even bigger rise. Under a moderate growth scenario of about 2.5%, the minimum wage could reach the range of 1,120 to 1,140 euros by 2030.
Thessaloniki International Fair
The Thessaloniki International Fair, known in Greece as the DEth, is an annual trade exhibition held in the country's second-largest city. Greek prime ministers traditionally use a keynote speech at the fair to set out the government's economic policy for the following year, making it a closely watched moment for announcements on wages, taxes and pensions.
