When women lose out, Europe loses out: end the pay and pension gaps
Following today’s adoption of the an own-initiative report on the gender pay and pension gap in the EU, the Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament is calling leading the call for stronger EU action to strengthen women’s economic empowerment across the Union.
Despite the EU’s long-standing principle of equal pay for equal work, women in the EU still earn on average around 12% less per hour than men. The gap tends to widen over time due to career breaks, motherhood and part-time work, and ultimately translates into a gender pension gap of around 25%, leaving many older women at greater risk of poverty.
With the Gender Equality Strategy 2026–2030 now presented, Renew Europe welcomes the Commission’s commitment to tackling pay discrimination and supporting the implementation of the Pay Transparency Directive and a promised toolkit on gender-neutral job evaluation and classification which the report calls for, but stresses that a dedicated EU action plan to eradicate the gender pay and pension gaps is still needed.
Renew Europe also calls for the full implementation of the Work-Life Balance Directive, including the promotion of non-transferable and adequately paid paternity and parental leave, which are essential to addressing the unequal distribution of care responsibilities that continues to drive pay inequalities. Renew Europe welcomes the European Care Deal which will be crucial to address gender inequalities in both formal and informal care.
"I am proud of the end result of the report, which according to Renew priorities aims to achieve true gender equality. It confronts persistent pay and pension gaps, while tackling the imbalance in unpaid care and domestic work which disproportionately falls on women. It sets out actionable measures at EU and MS level, to secure equality, economic independence, work–life balance, and equal opportunities — foundations for justice, resilient society, and shared prosperity. Yet, the actions and measures following the report will be crucial, as equality depends on concrete actions that will follow."
Irena JovevaRenew Europe MEP, Slovenia, Gibanje Svoboda
“Women’s economic equality is essential for a fair and competitive Europe. To close the gender pay and pension gaps, we must address their root causes from the unequal distribution of care responsibilities to the persistent undervaluation of work in female-dominated sectors and the continued underrepresentation of women in leadership and STEM. Ensuring fair pay and equal opportunities for women will strengthen Europe’s labour markets, support productivity, and help our economies reach their full potential.”
Veronika Cifrová OstrihoňováRenew Europe MEP, Slovakia, Progresívne Slovensko