The EU warns about the slow progress in reducing the wage gap between women and men.
Brussels, November 16, 2025, Equal Pay Day this year falls on November 17, the date from which women in the European Union "symbolically start working for free" until the end of the year. According to the latest data from the European Commission, women earn on average 12% less per hour than men, a modest decrease that marks only two days of progress compared to 2024. The European executive warns that the pace of reducing the pay gap is insufficient without the full implementation of salary transparency legislation.
There is no reason for women and men to be paid differently for the same work, stated Executive Vice-President Rovana Plumb and Commissioner Hadja Lahbib, emphasizing that the principle of equal pay is enshrined in EU legislation since 1957. According to the two Commission members, recent progress, although visible, remains "slow," and the reduction of the pay gap cannot be considered guaranteed.
Data published by the Commission indicates the persistence of structural causes that hinder achieving pay parity. Women continue to take on a disproportionate share of caregiving responsibilities, and informal work is often combined with part-time activities. Occupational segregation maintains the concentration of women in lower-paid sectors, while underrepresentation in leadership positions limits access to higher salaries and influence in decision-making processes. These differences are reflected over time and at the pension level, where the gap reaches 24.5%.
The European Commission relies on the full implementation of legislation in the field to accelerate convergence. The Directive on salary transparency, which must be transposed into national legislation by June 7, 2026, introduces new reporting obligations, clarifies job comparability, and strengthens women's access to legal remedies against pay discrimination. In parallel, the Directive on work-life balance aims for a fairer distribution of caregiving responsibilities, and the European Care Strategy encourages investments in accessible and quality services. To combat the increased risk of poverty among women, the Commission is working on the Anti-Poverty Strategy and the Roadmap for Quality Jobs.
Another legislative front targets gender balance in leadership positions. The Directive on gender representation in boards of directors, in force since 2022, aims to increase the proportion of women in decision-making roles in listed companies. The European executive believes that expanding women's presence in leadership positions can have positive effects on their employment and remuneration at all levels of an organization.
However, the Commission warns that the application of all these tools is not yet guaranteed. "Progress cannot be considered guaranteed, and we cannot afford complacency," states the official declaration. The document emphasizes that nearly 90% of Europeans find it unacceptable for women to be paid less than men for the same work, confirming broad public support for ongoing European measures.
In the coming months, the Commission will continue consultations to develop the Gender Equality Strategy 2026–2030, which will succeed the current 2020–2025 Strategy. The new agenda will integrate commitments made in March 2025 through the Roadmap for Women’s Rights, focusing on effective implementation, monitoring tools, and reducing pay disparities across all member states.
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