Women in the EU earn on average just €0.88 for every euro earned by men, which implies that symbolically, from 17 November until the year’s end, they effectively work without pay, according to the EU.

Equal remuneration remains unattained for employed women throughout the European Union, as men receive around 12% higher hourly wages on average.

This situation implies that theoretically, from Monday onwards, women could halt their work until year-end to equalize the income disparity.

The EU annually commemorates this moment as «Equal Pay Day.»

«There is no justification for differing pay between men and women performing identical roles,» stated European Commissioners Roxana Mînzatu and Hadja Lahbib.

Although the wage gap has narrowed by 4% in the past ten years, overall advancement remains limited across the bloc, and the EU is yet to reach gender pay parity.

Nearly 24% of the persistent gender pay gap is attributed to the predominance of women in comparatively low-wage fields such as care, health, and education.

Additionally, women work longer hours weekly than men, yet accumulate more time in unpaid labor, which can hinder their professional development.

«Women still bear the disproportionate burden of care responsibilities,» explained Belén Sanz, UN Women Director for Europe and Central Asia, in an interview with Euronews.

«This imbalance complicates women’s opportunities for labor market entry and career advancement.»

Hierarchical work positions influence pay levels as well, with less than 10% of CEOs being women.

Since 2020, the Commission has made strides in gender equality policies through initiatives enhancing work-life balance, care infrastructure, and salary transparency within the EU.

To reduce the employment gender gap, the EU introduced the Pay Transparency Directive in 2023.

According to these rules, effective no later than June 2026, companies must disclose salary information and take corrective measures if their gender pay disparity exceeds 5%.

The European Commission is preparing the forthcoming Gender Equality Strategy post-2025, which will detail fresh policies and legislation for succeeding years.