Abstract
The minimum wage, through the lens of its effects, is constantly under the scrutiny of the authorities, employers and employees. The paper analyzes how certain endogenous (specific to each state) and exogenous factors (such as the implementation of the Directive on ensuring adequate wages for workers in the Union) influence minimum wage policies and their evolution over time. This article explores the impact of the minimum wage from economic and social perspectives, mainly in terms of the labour market and poverty. The arguments for or against certain aspects of the minimum wage support the conclusions of the article reinforcing the idea of the need for the existence of an adequate minimum wage and reveal that, depending on the criteria considered for adoption and the way of implementation, it can be one of the most effective tools for intervention on the labour market and for protecting employees with incomes located at the bottom of the income pyramid.