Salary transparency/ Which EU countries are ready for the new rules?

2026-06-06 09:10:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Millions of Europeans still apply for jobs without knowing how much they will be paid. New EU rules aimed at increasing pay transparency and tackling the gender pay gap were due to come into force on 7 June, but most member states are expected to miss the deadline.

How do you know if you are being paid fairly?

In most of Europe, workers still have limited information about what jobs pay and how their wages compare to others doing similar work.

The EU Pay Transparency Directive aims to change this by requiring employers to become more transparent about wages and helping to strengthen the principle of equal pay for equal work.

The directive aims to help reduce the gender pay gap in the EU, which stands at 11%, meaning that women's gross hourly earnings are, on average, 11% lower than men's, according to Eurostat.

For many women, failure to implement the directive could have a direct impact on their income each year.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) estimates that failure to implement pay transparency would cost women at least €4.8 billion per year in the EU, potentially reaching €7.2 billion - equivalent to between €465 and €700 per woman per year.

EU countries must implement the rules by June 7, 2026, but most of them are expected to miss the deadline after a three-year implementation period.

So which EU countries have implemented the Pay Transparency Directive? What is the latest situation for those left behind? And across Europe, which countries have the highest rates of pay transparency in job advertisements?

Six EU countries have not yet taken any action.

According to the implementation monitor of international law firm Addleshaw Goddard, as of May 2026, six of the 27 EU countries have yet to take any action to implement the directive. They are Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Luxembourg and Portugal.

In September 2025, this figure was in 10 countries.

While Sweden published a proposal, the government suspended it indefinitely in March 2026, citing the directive's heavy administrative burden on employers.

Germany is expected to update its legislation in 2026. In the Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Slovenia and Spain, draft laws are expected to be adopted.

Ten countries have published draft legislation

Ten EU countries have published draft legislation, although they are at different stages of the process. They are Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Romania.

Three countries, Belgium, Malta and Poland, have partially implemented the directive.

In Slovakia, the Parliament adopted the Equal Pay Act on April 15, 2026, which will enter into force on June 7, 2026.

Real uncertainty in France

"In France, it is very likely that the June 7 deadline will not be respected. This creates real uncertainty, even after the law is passed, the main elements will have to be defined by separate implementing decrees, without a clear timeline," Jérémie Paubel, Employment Partner in France at Addleshaw Goddard, told Euronews Business.

He stressed that anticipation is crucial, companies should now take steps such as mapping their job categories, auditing their pay systems and structures and identifying any existing gaps, but most importantly, closely monitoring the legislative process.

What will happen in Germany?

"Missed implementation deadlines do not create a clear legal pause. They create an interim period in which companies may not yet have clear domestic rules, but courts, employees and works councils are already considering the direction set by the Directive," Marijke Van der Most, Employment Partner in Germany at Addleshaw Goddard, told Euronews Business.

She stressed that the sticking point for employers is not simply the delay in German law. It is that they may have to make wage decisions, answer employee questions and prepare for lawsuits at a time when the future standard is in sight but domestic regulation is not yet complete.

Salary transparency in job advertisements

According to global employment platform Indeed, salary transparency in job postings has been steadily increasing in many European countries.

As of March 2026, the United Kingdom had the highest rate of 56%, although this was 65% in May 2025.

The Netherlands (48%) and France (43%) exceed this figure. Ireland (39%) and Italy (36%) are very close, with Italy marking a significant improvement from 23% in May 2025.

However, Spain and Germany rank at the bottom of the list, with salary information included in only 17% and 12% of job advertisements, respectively.

Indeed data also shows that most EU countries are set to miss the pay transparency deadline. Data from Indeed Hiring Lab outlines the real consequences for workers and economies, including the persistence of the gender pay gap.

Workers are applying blindly

Indeed highlights that delays mean that most European workers continue to apply for jobs without knowing how much they will be paid.

"Salary is the most important factor why people look for a new job. Yet across Europe, it's what most job postings fail to take into account. Workers are applying blindly, and our research found that the consequences of this are deeper and more diverse than we thought," said Lisa Feist, EU Labor Market Economist at Indeed Hiring Lab.

"Despite these negative implications, there is an opportunity for employers who choose to be transparent. Those who act now can strengthen trust with candidates, improve application quality, and prepare their hiring strategies for the future."/ CNA