On Thursday, the committees on Women’s Rights and Employment adopted by 65 votes in favour, 16 against and 10 abstentions, their position on the Commission proposal on a Pay Transparency Directive.

MEPs demand that EU companies with at least 50 employees (instead of 250 as originally proposed) be required to disclose information that makes it easier for those working for the same employer to compare salaries and expose any existing gender pay gap within the organisation. Tools to assess and compare pay levels should be based on gender-neutral criteria and include gender-neutral job evaluation and classification systems.

If the pay reporting shows a gender pay gap of at least 2.5% (versus 5% in the initial proposal), member states would need to ensure that employers, in cooperation with their workers’ representatives, conduct a joint pay assessment and develop a gender action plan.

The Commission should create a dedicated official label to award to employers who do not have a…