WIREDGOV

Women in the European Union still continue to earn less than men for equal job, with the average gender pay gap in the EU standing at 13%. This means that for every €1 a man earns, a women will make €0.87. Progress is steady, however still too slow, with a 2.8 percentage point gap reduction in 10 years. This year, European Equal Pay Day falls on 15 November.

Věra Jourová, Vice-President for Values and Transparency and Helena Dalli, Commissioner for Equality, said:

“Equal work deserves equal pay: this is a founding principle of the European Union. Solving the injustice of the gender pay gap cannot come without change to the structural imbalances in society. That is why this Commission doubled down efforts on gender equality and the root causes of pay inequality.

“We are now in the final steps to see gender balance on corporate boards becoming a reality across the EU. We have already put new rights in place for women and men to have more choice and to better share caring responsibilities and work. And we count on the Member States to up their game on accessible, affordable, and high-quality early childhood education and long-term care – a prerequisite to support women's participation in the labour market.

“We need to empower women so that they can fulfill their potential.

“However, an important piece of the puzzle is missing: pay transparency. Transparency contributes towards ending gender bias in pay from the outset and empowers workers to enforce their right to equal pay for the same work or work of equal value. We call on the European Parliament and the Council to adopt our proposed Pay Transparency Directive without undue delay.

“Everyone benefits, when all are equal.”

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