France, Wages, Europe: What Is the Winning Equation?

In a context marked by the decline in inflation, persistent pressure on purchasing power and still strong intra-European competition, the issue of wages is becoming a central issue for France and its companies. How to reconcile remuneration, competitiveness and attractiveness in a single market where the differences in labour costs and taxation remain significant? While Europe calls for a social rebalancing, France is looking for the right equation between valuing work, economic performance and social responsibility. In 2025, negotiated wage increases average around 2%, in a context of slowing inflation (forecast at 1.5% according to the Banque de France) and moderation of wage policies. Some companies nevertheless expect increases of up to 3.5%, reflecting efforts to maintain attractiveness in a still tense job market. Faced with these tensions, companies must deal with sometimes contradictory imperatives: meeting employee expectations and labour shortages through wage increases, while controlling their costs to remain competitive on a European scale. The question then arises: can we build a model where wage increases, growth and competitiveness do not oppose each other, but reinforce each other? This debate will bring together leading economic players to cross the points of view of employers, trade unions and industry, and explore the paths of a sustainable compromise between wage justice, French competitiveness and European coherence.