EU Leaders Mark Equal Pay Day, Highlight Ongoing Gender Pay Gap

• EU leaders issued a joint statement for Equal Pay Day
• The day marks when women in the EU symbolically start “working for free” because of the pay gap
• In this sense, the EU reaffirmed its commitment to equality, guaranteeing equal opportunities for women and girls

Leaders of the EU issued a joint statement to commemorate Equal Pay Day, the symbolic date on which women in the EU effectively start working "for free" for the rest of the year, as a result of the gender pay gap.

They reiterated their resolve to "build a Union of Equality," in which women and girls have economic empowerment at their disposal, are able to fully and equally participate in the labour market, and have equal opportunities and treatment.

In their statement, the leaders asserted that there is no justification for men and women to be paid different amounts for the same work. The principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value has been part of EU law since 1957.

The leaders called for a commitment to the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value, and provided access to justice for those who are victims of pay discrimination; and, importantly, they acknowledged that work continues in collaboration with Member States to implement the Pay Transparency Directive which is an important step in achieving equal pay.

New data reveal that women's average gross hourly earnings in the European Union are still 12 percent lower than men's. 

This pay gap is perpetuated by multiple reasons, including unequal distribution of care work. Women continue to carry an unequal burden of family and childcare responsibilities, as part of the dual burden of unpaid care work, in addition to their formal participation in the labour force.

The Work-life Balance Directive aims to help reach a more equitable distribution of caregiving responsibilities of care work, and to specifically encourage EU leaders to invest in accessing, quality & affordable care services through the member states, in alignment with the European Care Strategy.

Additionally, labour market segregation is an issue. Women's continued concentration in lower paying sectors, in part-time work, or other undervalued work can increase women's risk of poverty.

The current gender pension gap is 24.5 percent. Legislation on Anti-Poverty Strategy and Quality Jobs Road-map are forthcoming in to help address these situations in the EU