The European Union's new rules on pay transparency are being implemented in all Member States, with the aim of strengthening the principle of equal pay for women and men and improving workers' access to justice in cases of pay discrimination.
EU Member States will have to put into force by 7 June 2026 the necessary laws, regulations and administrative provisions to comply with the Pay Transparency Directive, informing the Commission.
According to a statement by the Commission's Directorate-General for Communication, published on Friday, the new rules provide for increased transparency obligations for employers already at the recruitment stage, as they will have to inform candidates of the starting salary or salary range before the interview, while it will not be allowed to search for information on candidates' previous salary.
At the same time, employees will have the right to request information, on the level of their individual remuneration, as well as on the average levels of remuneration per gender for employees performing the same or equal work of equal value. For companies with at least 100 employees, there is also an obligation to disclose data on the gender pay gap.
In cases where a salary gap of at least 5% is found that cannot be justified, employers will be asked to proceed with a salary assessment. The new rules also strengthen accountability processes, as employers will have to prove that there is no pay discrimination when transparency obligations are not respected, while Member States must introduce penalties for breaches of the principle of equal pay.
The Directive also provides that employees who have suffered discrimination in pay on the basis of sex will be able to claim compensation, while equality bodies and workers' representatives will be able to represent them in judicial or administrative proceedings.
According to the Commission, the right to equal pay for equal work or work of equal value has been a fundamental principle of the European Union since the Treaty of Rome in 1957. As noted, the pay gap between women and men in the EU stands at 11.1%.
