COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Implementation of the measures set out in the EU Action Plan 2017-2019 on tackling the gender pay gap Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on the implementation of the EU Action Plan 2017-2019 on tackling the gender pay gap
Date: 2020-03-05
Institutions: Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission
Subjects: EU employment policy, EU strategy, equal pay, equal treatment, gender equality, sexual discrimination, women's rights, work-life balance

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 5.3.2020  SWD(2020) 101 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Implementation of the measures set out in the EU Action Plan 2017-2019 on tackling the gender pay gap    Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on the implementation of the EU Action Plan 2017-2019 on tackling the gender pay gap {COM(2020) 101 final}  
 
 
Objectives / 
Modalities  
To compile evidence 
of the need to 
encourage 
development of the 
existing legal 
framework and 
improve its 
enforcement by:  
•    strengthening the 
enforcement role of 
equality bodies  
•    improving 
sanctions and 
compensation to 
victims  
•    ensuring gender 
equality in 
occupational pension 
schemes  
•    ensuring pay 
transparency  
To fulfil the obligation 
under Article 31-2 of 
the Gender Equality 
Recast Directive  

Actions  

1- Assess the 
possibility of amending 
Gender Equality 
Recast Directive 
2006/54/EC  

2- Report on the 
national measures 
adopted on the basis of 
Article 157-4 TFEU, 
providing for specific 
advantages in order to 
make it easier for the 
underrepresented sex 
to pursue a vocational 
activity or to prevent or 
compensate for 
disadvantages in 

Actors 
involved  
European 
Commission  

 State of play  

  Evaluation  report  on  the  implementation  of  the  Commission  Recommendation  on  strengthening  the 

principle of equal pay between men and women through transparency adopted in November 2017. 

  Public consultations held between 11 January and 5 April 2019.  
  Evaluation of the EU equal pay provisions by an external contractor conducted between October 2018 and 
November  2019.  It  examined  the  progress  made  in  improving  the  implementation  of  the  ‘equal  pay 
principle’  enshrined  in  the  Treaty,  considered  enforcement  and  examined  the  protection  of  victims  of 
gender pay discrimination and its contribution to achieving equality between men and women. Carried out 
in  accordance  with the  evaluation  criteria  of  the  Better  Regulation  Guidelines: effectiveness,  efficiency, 
relevance, coherence and its EU added value.  

  Evaluation report to be published together with the Commission staff working document in March 2020. 

European 
Commission  

  Report on gender-based positive action in employment prepared by European network of legal experts in 
gender  equality  and  non-discrimination.  Published  in  November  2019  under  the  title  “Gender-based 
positive action  in employment in Europe - A comparative analysis of legal and policy approaches in the 
EU  and  EEA  -  A  special  report”.  Considers  the  use  of  ‘positive  action’  as  key  mechanism  to  advance 
women’s equality in employment and to ensure gender-balanced company boards.  Identifies the legal and 
regulatory  frameworks  and  scope  of  positive  action  in  European  Union  law  and  policy  in  the  28  EU 
Member States at the time, and the three members of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein 
and Norway). 

1 

 
 
 
professional careers  
3- Work together with 
EQUINET, the 
Advisory Committee 
on Equal Opportunities 
between Women and 
Men and the High- 
Level Group on 
Gender Mainstreaming  

To better enforce the 
principle of equal pay 
in Member States  

European 
Commission  

EQUINET  

National 
authorities  

EIGE 

  Council  Conclusions  adopted  in  December  2017  on  enhanced  measures  to  reduce  horizontal  gender 
segregation  in  education  and  employment,  based  on  the  report  by  the  European  Institute  for  Gender 
Equality  (EIGE)  on  ‘Study  and  work  in  the  EU:  set  apart  by  gender’.  Includes  an  analysis  of  the  links 
between segregation and the gender pay gap. 

  Opinion on the gender pay gap by the Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities between Women and 
Men  in  consultation  with  the  Member  States'  representatives,  social  partners,  EIGE  and  EQUINET, 
adopted in March 2018. 

  Capacity-building seminar organised jointly with EQUINET in October 2018 on protection from dismissal 

for pregnant women and employees using their right to family leave. 

  High-Level Group informed on 31 January 2018 of the state of play on the action plan and discussed how 

it had been received by Member States and the related actions taken at national level. 

  Ministerial  debate  on  'Closing  the  gender  pay  gap'  was  organised  in  the  EPSCO  Council  under  the 

Bulgarian Presidency in March 2018. 

  Advisory  Committee  on  Equal  Opportunities  between  Women  and  Men  presented  its  opinion  on  the 
gender  pay  gap  to  the  High-Level  Group  during  a  meeting  under  the  Romanian  Presidency  in  February 
2019.  The  High-Level  Group  discussed  the  action  plan  in  more  detail  in  view  of  the  evaluation  of  the 
Recast Directive. 

  EIGE research paper on the links between the gender pay gap and policies to improve work-life balance 

prepared for the background of the Romanian Council Conclusions (see below). 

  Council Conclusions on the gender pay gap were adopted under the Romanian Presidency in June 2019. 
  Council  Conclusions  on  the  economy  of  well-being  adopted  under  the  Finnish  Presidency  in  October 

2019.  

4- Support 
transnational projects 
to tackle stereotypes 
and segregation  

- The 2014-2020 
Rights, Equality and 
Citizenship 
programme (REC 
programme)  
- The European Social 
Fund  
- Erasmus +  

European 
Commission  

Member 
States  

  Call for proposals under the Rights, Equality and Citizenship programme to support transnational projects 
to promote good practices on gender roles and to overcome gender stereotypes in education, training and 
in the workplace published in 2016. 8 action grants were signed for projects running from 2017 to 2019. 
Involvement  of  e.g.  social  partners,  public  service  providers,  career  guidance  services,  civil  society 
organisations, schools and universities, local or regional stakeholders and the private sector is encouraged 
in  the  projects.  Inclusion  of  a  behavioural  aspect  is  also  encouraged  in  order  to  generate  evidence  on 
factors that help determine the success of an initiative. 

5- Organise 

- To organise a stock-

European 

 

‘Information and networking meeting with REC projects on empowerment of women’ organised in June 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
taking conference  
- To organise a final 
conference  

- To eliminate gender 
segregation  

- Erasmus +  

- Gender equality in 
academia and research  

Commission  
National 
authorities 
Key 
stakeholders  
European 
Commission  

National 
authorities  

Key 
stakeholders  

European 
Commission  
National 
authorities  
Key 
stakeholders  
European 
Commission  

EIGE  

conferences on the 
basis of the results of 
projects combatting 
stereotypes and 
segregation  
6- Facilitate the EU 
Platform of Diversity 
Charters and initiate 
regular sharing of best 
practices among 
companies  

7- Fund grassroots 
projects that are run by 
the education and 
training communities 
and challenge 
stereotypes 
8- Provide tools to 
promote institutional 
changes that can foster 
equality in scientific 
careers and highlight 
women's achievements 
in science with the EU 
prize for women 
innovators  

2019 to share experiences, bringing together projects funded under REC calls on segregation, stereotypes, 
gender gaps, work-life balance and women on boards/in politics/public fora. Social partners also invited.  

  An annual forum of the EU Diversity Charters, brought together diversity experts, businesses and public 

sector representatives, in Prague in October 2018. Highlighted the business case for gender diversity in 
senior corporate positions, the need to pay attention to the hiring, retention and progression of women in 
companies and to overcome gender biases.  

  The latest annual forum of the Diversity Charters took place in Brussels on 16 May 2019 and included a 

panel discussion on ‘More diversity in the top – can we overcome the challenge?’. 

  The  Czech  Diversity  Charter  presented  research  on  how  single  mothers  can  be  supported  in  the  labour 

market during a meeting of the Diversity Charters Platform in October 2019. 

  Calls  for  proposals  published  on  20  October  2015  and  20  October  2016  (EAC/A04/2015  and 

EAC/A03/2016).  Relevant projects were on-going during the action plan’s implementation.  

  2018 She Figures study published on 8 March 2019. 
  14 projects to support gender equality actions at national level funded for the period of 2017-2019 under 

Horizon 2020 for the total budget of 34.539.226 euro. 

  13 finalists announced on 4 April 2019 for the EU Prize for Women Innovators.  Commissioner Moedas 

announced the four winners of the 2019 Prize funded under Horizon 2020 on 16 May 2019. 

  12 finalists announced on 8 March 2018 for the 2018 round. Commissioner Moedas and MEP Eva Kaili 
announced the four winners of the 2018 Prize on 21 June 2018. The 2020 edition of the Prize launched in 
autumn 2019. 

  Statistical note ‘What lies behind the gender pay gap?’ published by EIGE in 2019. 
  Research note 'Women and men in ICT: a chance for better work-life balance' published by EIGE in 2018. 
Report on gender segregation in education 'Work and study in the EU: Set apart by gender' published by 
EIGE in June 2018. 

  Technical report on “‘Gender difference in adolescents' STEM career plans from 2018” published by the 

European Commission Joint Research Centre. 

3 

 
 
 
 
 
9- Launch an EU 
Platform for Change to 
increase female 
women’s employment 
and equal opportunities 
in the transport sector  

European 
Commission  

National 
authorities  

Key 
stakeholders  

- To exchange good 
practices and give 
visibility to concrete 
actions in favour of 
women's employment 
in transport  
- To publish a study 
on the business case to 
increase women’s 
employment in 
transport  

- Education and 
Training 2020  
- European sectorial 
social dialogue in 
education  
- Eurydice in 
cooperation with 
OECD  

European 
Commission  

National 
authorities  

Key 
stakeholders  

10- Support peer 
learning between 
Member States on the 
careers of teachers and 
school leaders; support 
the collection of data 
on teacher wages and 
encourage Member 
States to take action to 
eliminate under-
remuneration in this 
sector  

  Women in Transport – EU Platform for Change launched in November 2017 together with the signing of a 
declaration to ensure equal opportunities for women and men in the transport sector.  Platform’s objective 
to  increase  women’s  employment  and  equal  opportunities  for  men  and  women  in  the  transport  sector. 
Action-oriented to deliver concrete results, covers all transport modes, 24 EU stakeholders have joined so 
far.  Platform  members  are  (1)  representatives  from  the  main  EU  employers  and  workers  transport 
organisations,  (2)  representatives  from  four  Member  States  and  (3)  the  European  Union  Agency  for 
Railways  (ERA),  the  Shift2Rail  Joint  Undertaking  and  the  European  Union  Aviation  Safety  Agency 
(EASA). Members can present actions themselves or simply channel actions from their own members.  
  A second study on the 'Business case to increase female employment in transport' published in December 
2018.  Includes a list of measures companies can take to increase gender balance, including reporting on 
the gender pay gap. 

  The  European  Commission  Joint  Research  Centre  published  a  study  in  2019  on  ‘Women  in  European 
Transport  with  a  focus  on  Research  and  Innovation’.  Examines  the  status  and  evolution  of  European 
research  in  tackling  women  issues  in  transport  and  analyses  women's  participation  in  transport  research 
and  innovation  activities.  Assesses  the  progress  to  date  and  identifies  challenges  and  opportunities 
concerning women and mobility. Concludes by providing policy and future research recommendations to 
overcome the main barriers to women's equality in transport. 

  Expert seminar on the evaluation of teachers and school leaders organised from 3 to 4 December 2018, 

with gender issues discussed briefly.  

  Expert  seminar  from  9-10  September  2019  focused  on  school  leaders’  development  and  careers, 
highlighting gender and background as relevant factors to consider to reflect the diversity of populations. 
  Directorate-General Education, Youth, Sport and Culture’s working group on ‘promoting common values 
and  inclusive  education’  adresses  ‘gender  equality’  among  the  key  issues.  A  meeting  devoted  to  these 
issues was organised in November 2019. 

  Eurydice  report  on  teachers'  and  school  heads'  salaries  published  on  4  October  2018.  Examines  the 
statutory  salaries  of  teachers  and  school  heads  in  pre-primary,  primary  and  general  secondary  public 
schools  in  42  European  education  systems  in  2017/18.  Looks  at  the  average  actual  salaries  (including 
allowances and other additional payments) in relation to per capita GDP and the earnings of other tertiary-
educated workers. The average actual salaries are broken down by age and gender in the second part of the 
report National Data Sheets.  

  Sectorial dialogue, ETUCE (European social partner representing workers in the educational sector) ran a 
co-funded  project  on  gender  equality,  entitled  ‘Social  dialogue  and  gender  equality:  Empowering 
education trade unions to address gender equality in the teaching profession through social dialogue’, the 
project took place from December 2017 to November 2019. Built the capacity of education trade unions to 
address the challenges of gender inequality, making use of the tools in place in the social dialogue in the 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
- To work towards the 
adoption of the 
Commission proposal  

European  
Commission  

11- Continue working 
towards the adoption 
of the Commission 
proposal for a directive 
on improving gender 
balance among 
directors of companies 
listed on stock 
exchanges and monitor 
the implementation of 
policies to increase 
gender diversity on 
boards in the EU's 
largest listed 
companies  
12- Fund projects to 
improve the gender 
balance in economic 
positions at all 
management levels  

- REC programme  

13- Encourage 
governments to adopt 
strategies with concrete 
measures in order to 
ensure improved 

- To continue to 
engage in dialogue 
with social partners  
-To implement 
projects to improve 

education  sector  at  European,  national  and  regional  levels,  and  to  improve  education  trade  unions’ 
understanding of gender equality issues. Contributed to the ETUCE action plan on gender equality (2010) 
by  promoting  concrete  measures  for  its  implementation  at  national  and  local  level.  Enhanced  the 
professional  status  of  teachers,  trainers  and  school  leaders  and  to  make  the  teaching  profession  more 
attractive for both men and women. 

  EIGE’s study on ‘Gender-related challenges in European education systems’ to be published in 2020 and 

EIGE’s study on ‘Work and Study in the EU: set apart by gender’ published in 2018. 

  Work  continued  for  the  adoption  of  the  blocked  proposal  -  the  Commission  continued  to  support  the 
Council presidencies in advancing the file. Compromise in the Council has not yet been reached and 18 
Member States currently support the proposal. Item included on the agenda of the EPSCO of 13 June 2019 
and  EPSCO  in  December  in  2019  –  the  Commission  invited  delegations  to  support  this  legislative 
initiative and strive for progress at the national level. 

  A panel on 'Women in management' organised during the 2018 EU Diversity Charters Annual Forum. On 
16 May 2019, a panel discussion on ‘More diversity in the top – can we overcome the challenge?’ – took 
place at the annual forum of the EU Diversity Charters in Brussels. 

  EIGE  regularly  collects  data  on  women  and  men  in  decision-making  in  the  EU  and  pre-accession 

countries. EIGE’s gender statistics database is available here. 

  Statitical note on ‘Legislative quotas can be strong drivers for gender balance in boardrooms’ published by 

EIGE in 2019. 

  Open call for proposals launched with two priorities: women  in decision-making and work-life balance, 
published in March 2018 to support stakeholder actions promoting gender balance in politics and in the 
corporate sector. 

  50 proposals received in total, eight of the selected projects concern women in decision-making and four 
concern  work-life  balance.  Two  projects  concern  the  promotion  of  gender  balance  in  corporate 
management (and six concern gender balance in politics). The related grant agreements entered into force 
in early 2019 and the selected projects are ongoing. 

  Seminar on ‘Tackling the gender pay gap and promoting childcare’ with social partners on 12 June 2018. 
  2017 Fundamental Rights Colloquium included a plenary session on ‘Equal participation at work and in 
politics: a fundamental rights prerequisite’, discussing the meaning of the under-representation of women 
in decision-making positions. 

5 

Council  

European 
Parliament  

National 
authorities  

EIGE 

European 
Commission  

National 
authorities  

Keys 
stakeholders  
European 
Commission  

Social 
partners  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
gender balance in 
decision making and 
encourage them to 
engage in dialogue 
with social partners 
and sectorial regulatory 
bodies in order to 
promote/adopt relevant 
measures  

14- Implement the 
Work-Life Balance 
initiative  

the gender balance in 
decision-making 
positions  
-To support national 
concrete measures 
leading to better 
representation of the 
underrepresented sex 
in decision-making  
-To engage in and 
support dialogue with 
sectorial regulatory 
bodies  
- To strive towards a 
swift adoption of the 
Directive on work-life 
balance for parents 
and carers by the co-
legislators as well as 
implementation of the 
non-legislative actions 
presented in the 
Communication  

National 
authorities  

Regulatory 
bodies  

  The  European  Development  Days  in  June  2018  included  a  high-level  panel  on  ‘Raising  women's 

participation in decision-making: engaging men as change agents’. 

  The  2018  Fundamental  Rights  Colloquium  on  Democracy  in  the  EU  included  a  session  on  supporting 

broad participation and representation in democratic societies, including by women.  

  Six  projects  are  being  co-financed  (2019-2020)  to  support  the  participation  of  women  in  politics  and 

public fora (and two in economic decision-making). 

European 
Commission  

Council  

European 
Parliament  

  The  Work-Life  Balance  Directive  2019/1158  adopted  in  June  2019  and  subsequently  published  in  the 
Official  Journal.  Entered  into  force  on  2  August  2019.  Provides  for  10  days  of  paid  paternity  leave  for 
fathers, 4 months of parental leave for each parent (of which at least 2 months cannot be transferred to the 
other parent and have to be adequately paid), 5 days of carers’ leave, the right for parents with children up 
to 8 years old and carers to request flexible working arrangements. The Commission will closely monitor 
the Directive’s implementation into national systems. First implementation workshop with Member States 
took place on 10 and 11 December 2019 and may be followed by additional meetings in 2020 and 2021. 
  The  Commission  is  implementing  the  policy  actions  presented  in  the  Communication.  Several  relate  to 
continuous work  – theme included in the European Semester (eg. on the lack of affordable childcare or 
long-term care and implications for women’s participation in the labour market) as well as funding under 
the European Structural and Investment Funds. 

  The Commission launched work in the joint indicators sub-group of the Employment Committee (EMCO) 
and the Social Protection Committee (SPC) to develop comparable indicators on women and men’s take-
up of paternity, parental and carers’ leave, flexible working arrangements and comparable indicators on 
childcare and long-term care (indicators to be used to monitor the Directive’s impact). 

  Restricted call on closing gender gaps over the life course – work-life balance for women and men and a 
better  sharing  of  caring  responsibilities  –  under  the  2019  REC  programme.  10  proposals  received  and 
eight  selected  for  funding.  Call  for  proposals  to  develop,  test  and/or  implement  innovative  work-life 
balance strategies in the workplace financed through the Employment and Social Innovation programme 
published in 2018. Four projects selected for financing.  

6 

 
 
 
 
 
 
15- Work towards a 
better recognition of 
skills in all sectors  

- New Skills Agenda  

European 
Commission  

National 
authorities  

Key 
stakeholders  

  Capacity-building seminar organised jointly with EQUINET in October 2018 on protection from dismissal 
for  pregnant  women  and  people  who  have  taken  family  leave.  Study  on  protection  from  dismissal  and 
discrimination in the area of family-related leaves finalised in November 2018. 

  EIGE’s  Gender  Equality  Index  2019  focused  on  work-life  balance.  Presents  an  EU  scoreboard  of  15 

indicators on work-life balance.  

  EIGE’s analysis on ‘Eligibility for Parental Leave in EU Member States’ will be published in 2020. As of 
2019, the data on eligibility for parental leave in the EU will be available on an annual basis in EIGE’s 
gender statistics database.  

  Upskilling  pathways  action  of  the  skills  agenda  includes  low-skilled  women  aged  55  and  over  with 
caregiver  responsibilities,  as  well  as  parents  returning  to  work  after  a  period  of  taking  care  of  family 
dependants. 

  Council  Recommendation  from  December  2016  encourages  Member  States  to  outline  appropriate 
measures at the national level by mid-2018. In selecting priority groups among low-skilled adults, gender 
should be taken into account. 

  Overview of the national implementation measures provided by the Commission in late 2018. 
  Pledge to strengthen digital skills for women included in the digital skills and jobs coalition action of the 
skills agenda. Two-year project focuses on digital inclusion for women and on boosting young people’s 
employability. 'Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition' initiative includes projects with a focus on equality: 'IT 
for SHE' in Poland and 'Rails Girls Sofia' in Bulgaria. 

  The European entrepreneurship competence framework ("EntreComp") is a pan-European framework to 
support  the  development  of  entrepreneurial  skills.  Examples  on  how  to  use  the framework  published  in 
June  2018  as  a  user  guide  listing  two  projects  to  support  women  enterpreneurs,  namely:  ‘IWomen 
Academy:  Using  EntreComp  to  inspire  women  to  think  about  their  entrepreneurial  competences’;  and 
‘The  Women’s  Organisation:  Applying  EntreComp  to  existing  programmes  on  buiding  women’s 
entrepreneurial knowledge, skills and confidence’. 

  EntreComp  also  used  as  basis  for  a  workshop  on  supporting  women  entrepreneurs  at  the  European 

Development Days. 

  Gender aspect further mainstreamed in mutual learning activities regarding the recognition and validation 
of  skills.  2016  skills  agenda  proposed  concrete  measures for  both  women  and  men  to  acquire the skills 
needed  to  thrive  in  the  labour  market  and  society.  An  overview  of  the  implementation  measures  was 
provided by the Commission in 2019. 

7 

 
 
 
 
  Many  of the actions  carried  out  using  the  digital  competence  framework  (DigComp)  take  gender  issues 
and digital skills for women into account. Gender will be an important element for the update of the skills 
agenda, to be adopted by the Commission in 2020. 

  Commission’s  Women  in  Digital  (WID)  Scoreboard  monitors  women’s  participation  in  the  digital 
economy. It assesses Member States' performance in the areas of Internet use, Internet user skills as well 
as  specialist  skills  and  employment  based  on  13  indicators.  As  of  2019,  the  Women  in  Digital  (WiD) 
Scoreboard is an integral part of the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI). 

  The European Social Fund supports the validation and recognition of skills and experience in the Member 

States. 

  The European network of legal experts in gender equality and non-discrimination requested to provide an 
update consisting of an overview on the most important developments in gender-neutral job-classification 
systems since 2013. 

  The update was made during the action plan’s implementation. It will be used when appropriate to update 
Annex I of the 2013 implementation report on Directive 2006/54/EC, and will in due time be given wide 
publicity.   

European 
Commission  

National 
authorities  

Key 
stakeholders  

European 
Commission  

  2018  Report  on  equality  between  women  and  men  in  the  EU  published  in  March  2018  and  the  2019 

Report on equality between women and men in the EU published in March 2019. 

  Data  on  the  ‘adjusted  gender  pay  gap’  published  in  June  2018  (Eurostat  statistical  working  paper:  ‘A 

decomposition of the unadjusted gender pay gap using Structure of Earnings Survey data’). 

  Eurobarometer on the gender pay gap and pay transparency published in November 2017. 

European 
Commission 

  Report on the enforcement of the equal pay principle published together with the action plan. 
  2018  Pensions  Adequacy Report  published in  April 2018.  Findings  discussed  at  a conference on  2 July 
2018, including a panel discussion on ‘Gender and old age: how to overcome the gender pension gap?’. 

8 

16- Raise awareness of 
gender-neutral 
classification systems  

17- Report regularly on 
the evolution of the 
gender pay, earnings, 
and pensions gap in 
Europe; include the 
gender perspective in 
the 2018 Pension 
Adequacy Report  

- To continue to raise 
awareness of the 
importance of gender- 
neutral job 
classification systems 
to ensure equal pay  
- To publish and 
widely disseminate an 
updated guide on 
gender neutral job 
evaluation and 
classification system  
- Annual Report on 
equality between 
women and men  
- data on the 
‘Adjusted’ gender pay 
gap  
- Eurobarometer on 
the gender pay gap 
and pay transparency  
- Publication of report 
on the enforcement of 
equal pay  
- Publication of the 

 
 
 
 
 
 
2018 Pension 
Adequacy Report  

18- Launch work to 
better assess gender 
equality in the 
collaborative economy  

- To assess gender 
equality in the 
collaborative economy  

European 
Commission  

19- Raise awareness of 
the gender pay gap  

- European Equal Pay 
Day  

European 
Commission  

  Average  estimated  gender  pension  gap  was  30.1  per  cent  in  the  EU  for  2018.  Although  lower  for  new 
retirees, it has remained persistently high in many Member States. Cumulative effect of the multiple career 
gaps affecting women (pay, career duration, childcare breaks, part-time work, care for dependent adults) 
likely to have a continued impact on their pensions, only mildly compensated for by pension systems. 
  2021 Pension Adequacy Report will continue to analyse the gender gap in pension benefits and pension 
coverage, their causes and the possible policy responses. The report will explore how pension credits for 
career breaks linked to caring responsibilities facilitate an equal sharing of caring responsibilities between 
men and women over their working life. 

  Commission report on ‘Platform Workers in Europe’ published in June 2018. Based on a survey of over 
32,000 respondents across 14 Member States. Examines work provided through digital labour platforms. 
Labour services categorised according to the level of skills required, and analysed in terms of gender and 
educational levels. Results of the second wave of the survey (38,000 respondents from 16 Member States) 
forthcoming. 

  Directorate-General  Internal  Market,  Industry,  Entrepreneurship  and  SMEs  organised  a  conference  on 
‘Collaborative  Economy:  Opportunities,  Challenges, Policies’  on  11 October 2018.  A  report on  ‘Gender 
equality and the collaborative economy’ published in March 2018 by the legal network. 
  Advisory Committee prepared an opinion on the future of work prepared in December 2018. 
  Work  is  ongoing  to  launch  a  pilot  data  collection  project  in  the  EU  Labour  Force  Survey  on  labour 
platforms  in  view  of  a  possible  future  inclusion  in  the  core  Labour  Force  Survey  or  in  a  module.  All 
results from this pilot will be broken down by sex. 

  European  Equal  Pay  Day  organised  around  3  November  annually.  Factsheets  and  shareables  
disseminated. First Vice-President Timmermans and Commissioners Thyssen and Jourová issued a joint 
press statement on 31 October 2019, 26 October 2018 and 31 October 2017. 

20 - In 2018 publish 
and disseminate an 
updated guide on case 
law on the principle of 
equal pay  

21- Prepare and 
disseminate an updated 

- To update and 
publish an updated 
guide on the case law 
of the Court of Justice 
of the European Union 
on the principle of 
equal pay  
- To prepare and 
widely disseminate an 

European 
Commission  

  A summary of the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union updated and published on Equal 

Pay Day 2019. 

European 
Commission  

  A  thematic  guide  on  best practices  on  equal  pay  (‘National  cases  and  good  practices  on  equal  pay’)  by 
Susanne Burri, professor at Utrecht University, updated by the legal network to reflect the latest actions by 

9 

 
 
22 - Dedicate mutual 
learning seminars to 
the issue of the gender 
pay gap, including 
targeted support for 
social partners  

guide on best practices   updated guide on best 
practices reflecting the 
latest actions by 
Member States to 
ensure the application 
of equal pay  
- To continue to 
dedicate mutual 
learning seminars for 
governmental 
representative to the 
gender pay, earnings, 
and pensions gap and 
its root causes  
- To support mutual 
learning and capacity-
building of social 
partners, companies 
and other 
stakeholders, to tackle 
the gender pay gap  
- REC programme 
2014-2020  

23 - Offer financial 
support to Member 
States willing to reduce 
the gender pay gap  

24 - Continue to follow 
up on the gender pay 
gap through the 
European Semester  

- European Semester  

European 
Commission  

National 
authorities  

Social 
partners  

Key 
stakeholders  

European 
Commission  
National 
authorities  
Key 
stakeholders  
European 
Commission  

National 
authorities 

Member  States  to  ensure  the  application  of  equal  pay  on  the  ground  and  published  on  Equal  Pay  Day 
2019. 

  Thematic  seminar  in  the  form  of  a  dialogue  between  the  European  Commission  and  the  social  partners 

 

held on 7 May 2019  on the role, costs and benefits of pay transparency. 
In the context of the mutual learning programme, the Commission organised another seminar in Iceland in 
May 2019 on tackling gender pay gaps, their root causes and best practices in addressing them. 

  Funding  granted  for  actions  by  national  authorities  to  help  the  Member  States  to  experiment  or 
develop/design  measures  to  address  gender  employment/pay/pensions  gaps.  Done  in  the  form  of  a 
restricted  call  for  proposals  to  address  gender  gaps  over  the  life-cycle  from  3 October  2017  to 
22 February 2018. 14 proposals received of which 12 projects proposed for financing for the total amount 
of €4,481,108.77. Projects running from late 2018 until late 2020. 

  Gender pay gap raised in the European Semester country reports in 2018 and 2019. In 2018, addressed as 
an  issue  for  Austria,  Czechia,  Estonia,  Finland,  Germany,  Portugal,  Slovakia  and  the  United  Kingdom. 
Under  the  2019  round,  concerns  about  the  gender  pay  gap  flagged  as  an  issue  for  Austria,  Czechia, 
Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia and the United Kingdom. 

  Country-specific  recommendation  to  address  the  high  gender  pay  gap,  including  by  improving  wage 
transparency, issued to Estonia  in 2018 and 2019. Gender pay gap being monitored also during the 2020 
round of the European Semester. 

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Commission’s  proposals  for  the  Common  Provisions  Regulation  and  the  European  Social  Fund  Plus 
(ESF+)  Regulation  2021-2027  create  a  close  link  between  the  challenges  identified  in  the  European 
Semester and the programming of the Funds. The aim was to ensure that the Funds support Member States 
in delivering on the country-specific recommendations. 

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