SOCOL CRISTIAN| MARINAS MARIUS MINIMUM WAGE AS A PUBLIC POLICY INSTRUMENT – PROS AND CONS Figure 20. The simple statistical correlation between the share of the gross minimum wage in the gross average earnings and the poverty and social exclusion risk rate(top) and between the share of the gross minimum wage in the gross average earnings and the economic deprivation rate(bottom)(2007-2015) 50 45 40 y= 0.5955x+ 59.525 R²= 0.8988 35 30 25 20 10 20 30 40 40.0 35.0 30.0 y= 0. 8995 x+ 5 7. 16 25.0 R²= 0. 954 20.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 0.0 20 30 40 The latest studies show the relevance of the evolution of the economic deprivation rate as an indicator of reduction of poverty(especially of persisting poverty) and of decrease of income inequality. The analysis of the dynamics of the Gini indicator and of the rate of poverty and social exclusion becomes secondary in importance from the perspective of methodology of formation of these indicators. We consider that the analysis of the impact of the increase in the minimum wage on the reduction of poverty and of the income inequality on the rate of economic deprivation is more relevant. 28