Belgium Requests Six-Month Extension for EU Pay‑Transparency Directive

The EU pay‑transparency directive (2023/970) must be transposed into national law by 7 June 2026. Belgium has not yet produced a draft law, and talks in the National Labour Council stalled over disagreements between trade unions and employers. The Belgian government has written to the European Commission asking that the infringement procedure not be started for six months, thereby seeking an extra six‑month grace period to avoid possible sanctions.

The request comes as many EU Member States also struggle to meet the deadline. Business groups warn that the directive’s administrative burdens could undermine its goal of closing the gender pay gap, while the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium (FEB) supports the principle of equal pay but calls the current rules impractical. The outcome remains uncertain pending a response from the Commission.