Commissioner Helena Dalli (acting for Equality) has firmly rejected calls to include the Pay Transparency Directive in any future omnibus regulatory simplification package, arguing the directive is essential for achieving equal pay between men and women. The answer, given on 23 June 2026, pushes back against concerns from three French MEPs from the centre-right European People's Party (PPE) who had warned that the directive's obligations risk generating additional compliance costs for companies already subject to national equal-pay rules.
The question, submitted on 16 April 2026 by François-Xavier Bellamy, Isabelle Le Callennec and Christophe Gomart, had asked whether the Commission would consider introducing flexibilities for companies already complying with national obligations, to limit costs and allow gradual adaptation. The Commission's answer contains no concrete proposals for new flexibilities or delays. Instead, it points to existing provisions in the directive that already offer flexibility: reporting dates and periods vary by company size, employers may use different methodologies to assess work of equal value, and administrative data can be used to fulfil pay reporting obligations.
The Commission also highlighted support measures already in place: implementation workshops with Member States and social partners, funding through the 2024 and 2026 Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme, and a toolkit published with the European Institute for Gender Equality for gender-neutral job evaluations. No timeline for further review or additional simplification was announced.
the Commission prioritises the directive's gender-equality objectives over business simplification demands, at least for this file. The main stakeholders impacted are EU companies, which must comply with pay transparency obligations without the prospect of regulatory relief; national authorities, which face a 7 June 2026 transposition deadline; workers, who gain new rights to request pay information; and EU policymakers, who will need to monitor implementation and potential compliance burdens.