Barroso's 'Six-Pack' Revolution. Setting Maximum National Wage Increase Benchmarks for the EU's Member States

Until recently, European
elites firmly rejected the need for any coordination in the field of wage
bargaining, because the market would automatically lead to the desired
(downward) convergence of wages across Europe.
In 2011, however, Commission President Barroso announced 'a silent revolution' (EUobserver, 16.03.2011) that led to the
adoption of the 'six-pack' on European economic governance by the
European Parliament and the Council. As a result, the Commission not only
obtained effective tools in order to control member states' budgets and
economic policies, but also the right to issue enforceable maximum
national labour cost increase benchmarks.