Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

This year, Equal Pay Day falls on November 17, the date on which women in the European Union symbolically begin "working for free" until the end of the year. According to a statement issued by the European Commission in Brussels, “On this important day, we reaffirm our commitment to an Equal Union, a union in which women and girls are economically empowered and can participate fully in a labor market that offers equal opportunities and fair treatment for all. There is no reason for men and women to be paid differently for the same work. The principle of equal pay for equal work, or work of equal value, has been enshrined in EU law since 1957. It is essential to enforce this fundamental principle, as well as to improve access to justice for victims of wage discrimination. That is why we are working with Member States to implement the Wage Transparency Directive, an important step towards equal pay. The latest data shows that women’s total hourly earnings were, on average, 12% lower than men’s in the EU. Barriers to closing this gap remain, such as those related to caregiving responsibilities. Women continue to bear a disproportionate share of household and childcare duties, and informal care work is often carried out alongside formal employment. The Work-Life Balance Directive promotes a more equitable sharing of these responsibilities.” Regarding caregiving responsibilities between women and men, we also call on Member States to invest in high-quality, affordable, and accessible care services, as outlined in the European Care Strategy.

At the same time, discrimination in the labor market persists, with many women concentrated in low-wage sectors or jobs and part-time roles. Alongside the continued undervaluing of women-dominated professions, women face an increased risk of poverty; for example, the gender pension gap currently stands at 24.5%. The EU is taking action to mitigate these risks through our upcoming anti-poverty strategy and the Good Jobs Roadmap, to ensure that everyone is protected from poverty.

Finally, the continued underrepresentation of women in high-paying leadership positions exacerbates the gender pay gap by excluding them from economic decision-making. The Directive on Gender Balance on Corporate Boards addresses this disparity, and we call for its full and timely implementation to ensure continued progress. The Commission is working closely with Member States on its implementation and stands ready to provide further support.

Progress cannot be taken for granted, nor can we... We cannot accept setbacks. Earlier this year, we launched the Women’s Rights Roadmap, which paves the way for a gender-equal society. Our commitment is clear: every woman has the right to economic independence, and equal pay for equal work or work of equal value must be guaranteed. This commitment will guide our work towards a new Gender Equality Strategy, to be launched next year.

We must continue to champion women’s rights, promote their economic empowerment, and place equality at the heart of all our policies.

European Equal Pay Day 2025 falls on November 17 – this represents a decrease of two days in the number of women symbolically working “for free” compared to last year and seven days compared to 2020. As the date approaches December 31, the EU is moving closer to closing the gender pay gap. This indicates slow but measurable progress, yet we are still far from achieving gender equality in earnings. The latest data shows that women’s total hourly earnings were, on average, 12% lower than men’s in the EU. Nearly nine percent agree One in ten Europeans believes it is unacceptable for women to be paid less than men for the same work. Since 2020, the Commission has made significant progress on gender equality policies, particularly with regard to EU equal pay initiatives. Within the framework of our Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025, Member States are required to transmit the Directive on Wage Transparency by 7 June 2026. This Directive sets out rules on transparency and the effective implementation of the principle of equal pay for the same or equal work of equal value between women and men. The next Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030 is currently being prepared and will outline new initiatives and legislation for the following years. These commitments were already enshrined in the Women’s Rights Roadmap adopted in March 2025. Further policies have been introduced to help empower women economically, including the Directive on Gender Balance on Corporate Boards, which entered into force in 2022, with the aim of achieving more balanced gender representation on the boards of major EU-listed companies. Strengthening women's participation in economic decision-making will have a positive indirect impact on women's employment across all relevant companies. Furthermore, the Work-Life Balance Directive aims to address the unequal distribution of caregiving responsibilities between men and women, and the underrepresentation of women in the labor market. The European Care Strategy 2022 and the EU Directive on an adequate minimum wage, which promotes a decent standard of living for all workers, are key initiatives in this area.