Three French MEPs from the European People's Party (PPE) have asked the European Commission whether it plans to include the Pay Transparency Directive (2023/970) in a future omnibus simplification package, citing compliance costs and overlaps with existing national obligations. In a written parliamentary question submitted on 16 April 2026, François-Xavier Bellamy, Isabelle Le Callennec, and Christophe Gomart argue that the directive's requirements—such as providing pay information upon worker request and disclosing pay gap data—risk generating additional burdens for companies, especially those already subject to national equal-pay rules that differ from the directive's indicators. The MEPs also ask whether the Commission would introduce flexibilities for companies already complying with national obligations, to allow gradual adaptation and limit costs.
The question comes as Member States face a 7 June 2026 transposition deadline for the directive, which aims to strengthen equal pay between women and men. The MEPs frame their request within the broader context of regulatory simplification, noting that the Commission has already presented several omnibus packages to ease obligations on businesses and boost competitiveness. By questioning the directive's inclusion in such packages, the MEPs signal a desire to reduce what they see as disproportionate administrative burdens on companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.
The Commission is expected to respond within approximately six weeks. Its answer will indicate whether it is open to revisiting the directive's requirements or granting derogations for Member States with pre-existing national schemes. This could signal a shift in policy direction, balancing the original goal of pay transparency with competitiveness concerns. The question highlights a tension between EU-level harmonisation and national flexibility, as well as between worker protection and business competitiveness. If the Commission agrees to simplify or delay certain provisions, it could reduce compliance costs for businesses but potentially weaken the directive's effectiveness in closing the gender pay gap. Conversely, maintaining the current requirements may uphold transparency but increase administrative burdens on companies already navigating multiple regulatory frameworks.
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