The article addresses the recent CJEU ruling on the Directive on adequate minimum wages and its significant implications for the balance of competences between the EU and its Member States. Contrary to the AG’s Opinion, the Court upheld the validity of the Directive by adopting a "conservative" approach. It reaffirmed established jurisprudence and largely excluded (with minor exceptions) any direct interference in national wage-setting mechanisms, thereby safeguarding the Directive’s symbolic and political significance.