Only three EU nations enact new pay‑transparency law

By the June 7 deadline, only Italy, Lithuania and Slovakia have incorporated the EU pay‑transparency directive into national legislation. The 2023 directive seeks to narrow the gender pay gap by obliging employers to ensure transparent recruitment, use gender‑neutral job titles, ban requests for candidates’ past salaries and forbid clauses that prevent employees from discussing pay. Workers may request information on average wages, and firms must report pay‑gap data to authorities, facing fines if disparities exceed 5 percent.

The European Trade Union Confederation reports that most member states are lagging: roughly half have not even published draft laws, while a quarter plan to finish drafts next year. Sweden opposes transposition, and several countries have only partially adopted the rules. MEP Li Andersson said, “It is high time EU countries lived up to the obligation set out in this directive and implemented its rules.” MEP Lina Gálvez added, “The pay transparency directive was a proud moment for me as an MEP… That most EU member states have failed to meet their own deadline … is unacceptable.”