Brussels, 10/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - To make clear the gender pay gap in Europe, it could be said that, from the beginning of 2014 to 28 February, women will be paid nothing for the work they perform. This represents 59 days unpaid labour by women, according to a recent European Commission report published on Monday 9 December. Only partial application of European rules on the subject appears to be at the root of this disparity. The Commission will therefore now be clamping down by initiating infringement procedures to tackle the problem.
This year still, men earn on average 16.2% more than women working in the same job. Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Justice, is unhappy that this percentage had not changed this year: “The pay gap is still large and it is not budging. To make things worse: much of the change actually resulted from a decline in men's earnings rather than an increase for women”.
The European Commission puts the continuing pay gap down to the lack of transparency in pay systems, the lack of clear benchmarks on pay equality and by a lack of clear information for workers. Transparency is therefore key to tackling these inequalities. Above all, member states should better apply the 2006 European equality directive on this issue. Only France and the Netherlands have complied with the rules and the 26 other member states will therefore be closely monitored by the European Commission, which will not hesitate to open infringement procedures (requests for information have already been sent to 23 governments) if necessary.
Reding commented that “The principle of equal pay for equal work is written in the EU Treaties since 1957. It is high time that it becomes a reality in the workplace as well”. In an effort to provide guidelines for member states, the report also presents a number of good practices that have been implemented in an effort to tackle the wage gap in the EU. (MD/transl.fl)