The European Commission has announced plans to significantly reduce the pay gap between men and women in Europe over the next five years. It aims to do this by raising awareness among employers, encouraging initiatives to promote gender equality and supporting the development of tools to measure the gap.
A survey released last week by the Commission showed that more than 80 per cent of Europeans support urgent action to address the gap which stands at 18 per cent across the EU. Over 60 per cent of respondents considered gender inequality to be widespread in their country, while 66 per cent said the situation had improved over the past decade.
The Commission has also announced that it will analyse in detail the economic and social impact of other approaches, such as:
• Reporting on the gender pay gap and ensuring transparency on pay at company and individual levels or collectively through information and consultation with workers
• Reinforcing the obligation to ensure gender neutral job classifications and pay scales
• Improving the provisions on sanctions in case of a breach of the right to equal pay, to ensure that they are dissuasive and proportional (for instance, higher sanctions in cases of repeated offences).
Addressing gender inequalities in the labour market also forms a key element of Europe2020 - the EU's economic and employment strategy for the next decade. According to a study conducted under the Swedish EU Presidency in 2009, eliminating gender gaps in employment in the EU Member States could lead to a potential 15 - 45 per cent increase in gross domestic product.
Finally, the Commission is conducting a study on initiatives promoting gender equality in the workplace, which will be published on 5 May.
For more information, go to: http://ec.europa.eu