Brussels, 24/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - In adopting the report by Edit Bauer (EPP, Slovakia) by show of hands on Wednesday 23 May, the European Parliament made it very plain to the European Commission: given the persistent wage inequality between men and women, European legislation must be revised. Outraged at the slow rate of progress in reducing the wage gap - estimated to be 16.4% this year - Bauer said in the debate preceding the vote that her aim was to identify those areas of legislation which could be improved. “We call on the Commission to address the unjust discrimination against women and to make the legislation on diminishing the gender pay gap more effective”, she said, indicating that the Commission should bring forward proposals inspired by best practice in member states. Nicole Kiil-Nielsen (Greens/EFA, France) adopted a tougher approach. She noted that “in the 2006 directive, the principle of equality of remuneration is reaffirmed and it was stated that new measures had to be taken. Since then, nothing has happened. The European Parliament made very precise proposals in 2008 (Ed: account to be taken of bonuses and other advantages, wage transparency). Yet again we restate those proposals, but the ball is now in the European Commission's court.” European Commissioner Janez Potocnik grabbed the ball and ran with it: “Some of our priorities for the coming years will be to monitor the correct application and enforcement of the equal pay provisions of the directive, and to support member states and other stakeholders with a proper enforcement and application of the existing rules. The Commission plans to publish a report on the implementation of the 2006 Equal Opportunities Directive next year”, he announced. (MD/transl.rt)