Andorra Approves 5.4% Minimum Wage Hike to €1,525 and UN Anti-Corruption Pact

Andorra's Council of Ministers has approved an increase in the minimum wage to €1,525.33 per month for a 40-hour week in 2026, representing a 5.4% rise from the prior year. The hourly rate will increase to €8.80. This follows a 2.7% annual consumer price index (CPI) increase, with the adjustment based on double the CPI and capped at 6% to help restore purchasing power for low-income households.

Government spokesperson Guillem Casal pointed out that the minimum wage has climbed 45% since 2019, from €1,050 to more than €1,500, calling the advancement "more than satisfactory." Over the past three years, it has risen 18%—twice the CPI annually—which has driven an 8% increase in average wages compared to a 10.2% CPI rise during that time. The new figure equals 58% of the average wage, approaching the 60% benchmark set by the European Social Charter. Employers can opt to align other pay scales accordingly.

In a key foreign policy step, the Council has formally approved Andorra's accession to the United Nations Convention against Corruption—the Mérida Convention, adopted in New York in 2003. The decision, confirmed in a government statement on 15 January 2026, seeks to bolster anti-corruption efforts and boost institutional transparency. Casal indicated it would strengthen the country's legal framework. While much of Andorra's legislation already complies, updates to the Penal Code are required, such as introducing corporate criminal liability and offences for private-sector corruption. These changes will form part of a comprehensive Penal Code revision nearing completion. The proposal and convention ratification will soon go to the General Council for endorsement, then to the co-princes, with the convention entering force three months after submission to the UN Secretary-General.

On other matters, Casal described dialogue with the Holy See over abortion as "open and active," following recent Vatican statements. The government aims to remove penalties for women in the Penal Code—stopping short of full legalisation—while respecting Andorra's constitutional balance involving the French president and the bishop of Urgell. Talks with parliamentary parties proceed privately.

The Pyrenees Working Community (CTP) has launched a search for a new director to promote collaboration between Andorra, Spain, and France. Reporting to the Executive Committee and working with the secretary-general, the position oversees the POCTEFA programme, advances the Pyrenean Strategy, manages the Climate Change Observatory and Development Unit, and shapes growth policies. Applications close on 28 February.

Finally, new rules for legal deposits of online publications have been approved, in line with last year's legislation. Overseen by the National Library and National Archive, they safeguard Andorra's digital cultural record, according to Casal.