EU wage‑transparency directive sees uneven rollout across member states

The EU's wage‑transparency directive, aimed at closing the gender pay gap, obliges employers to disclose salary information and will come into force on 7 June 2026. Six of the 27 EU countries – Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Luxembourg and Portugal – have taken no steps toward implementation. Ten countries have published draft laws, while Belgium, Malta and Poland have partially applied the rules. Slovakia approved a pay‑equality law in April 2026, and France faces uncertainty over timing. Germany plans to tighten its legislation in 2026, warning that the transition period will leave employers without clear national rules.

In Germany, the average gross salary for full‑time workers was €4,784 in April 2025, while the median salary in Bavaria in 2024 was €4,013 per month. According to the Institute of the German Economy (IW), a single person earning €1,850‑€3,470 net per month, or a family of four earning €3,880‑€7,280, belongs to the middle class. By this definition roughly 48 % of the German population falls into the middle‑income bracket.