Gender pay gap statistics 2026: Europe and the road to pay transparency

The gender pay gap remains one of Europe’s most stubborn economic facts. In 2026, data from Eurostat, national offices and the World Economic Forum shows the same pattern. Progress is slow. National gaps are wide. A new push for transparency is arriving. Here are 50 gender pay gap statistics on where Europe stands and where it is heading.

What do the latest gender pay gap statistics show in 2026?

The latest gender pay gap statistics show modest progress. In 2024, women in the EU earned 11.1% less per hour than men, down from 11.7% a year earlier. Still, change stays slow, and national gaps vary enormously.

1. Women across the EU earned 11.1% less per hour than men in 2024.
2. In the euro area, the gap ran slightly wider, at 11.4%.
3. The EU figure eased from 11.7% in 2023 to 11.1% in 2024.
4. Since 2011, the pay gap has narrowed from 16.2% to 11.1%.
5. It peaked at 16.4% in 2012, then fell almost every year.
6. Across member states, gaps spanned 19.6 percentage points in 2024.
7. Estonia recorded the widest national gap, at 18.8%.
8. Czechia followed closely behind, at 18.5%.
9. In Luxembourg, women out-earned men, giving a gap of -0.8%.
10. Germany’s gap held at 16%, among the bloc’s highest.

How does the gender pay gap vary across Europe?

Gender pay gap statistics vary sharply across Europe. Some countries report gaps under 2%. Others exceed 18%. Sector, working hours and seniority all shape the numbers. As a result, one EU average hides very different national realities.

11. Belgium posted one of the smallest gaps, close to 1%.
12. Poland and Romania each recorded roughly 4%.
13. Among full-time workers, gaps ran from -8.1% to 19.9%.
14. Among part-time workers, they stretched from -8.3% to 23.8%.
15. Finance and insurance showed the widest sector gap: 40.3% in Hungary.
16. The same sector’s smallest gap reached 12.2%, in Spain.
17. Across the business economy, Malta had the lowest gap, at 4.5%.
18. Portugal’s private-sector gap topped the EU, at 21.8%.
19. Public-sector gaps stayed narrower, thanks to transparent wage grids.
20. For managers, the EU gap hit 27.1% in 2022, over double the average.

Why does the gender pay gap still exist?

The gender pay gap persists for structural reasons, not just direct discrimination. Women cluster in lower-paid sectors and work part-time more often. They also hold fewer senior roles. Therefore, much of the gap builds up gradually across a career.

21. Italian women managers faced the largest management gap, at 34.7%.
22. German women managers earned 28.6% less than male peers.
23. Roughly 24% of the EU gap links to lower-paid, female-dominated sectors.
24. The EU employment gap stood at 10 percentage points in 2024.
25. Part-time work covered 27.8% of women, but only 7.7% of men.
26. Most of the EU pay gap still counts as statistically unexplained.
27. Women aged 65 and over received pensions 24.9% lower than men.
28. In the Netherlands, that pension gap nears 40%.
29. Globally, women hold just 28.8% of senior leadership roles.
30. Yet women make up 41.2% of the global workforce.

What is the EU Pay Transparency Directive?

The EU Pay Transparency Directive is landmark equal-pay legislation. It forces employers to share pay levels, publish gender pay gap statistics, and justify differences above 5%. Member states had until 7 June 2026 to adopt it. However, many are running behind.

31. The EU Pay Transparency Directive entered into force in June 2023.
32. Member states faced a transposition deadline of 7 June 2026.
33. By that date, only four member states had fully transposed it.
34. The Netherlands delayed its own transposition to January 2027.
35. Employers with 250+ staff must report pay gaps yearly from 2027.
36. Firms with 150 to 249 staff must report every three years.
37. The reporting threshold drops to 100 employees by 2031.
38. Any unjustified gap above 5% triggers a joint pay assessment.
39. Employers can no longer ask candidates about their pay history.
40. Job applicants now gain the right to see pay ranges upfront.

How do the Netherlands, UK and world compare?

The Netherlands, the UK and the wider world show the same slow trend. Dutch and UK gaps have narrowed for years, yet neither has closed. Meanwhile, global parity remains more than a century away.

41. Dutch women earned 10.5% less per hour than men in 2024.
42. That Dutch gap has almost halved since 2010, when it hit 19%.
43. Dutch men averaged €30.32 per hour; women averaged €27.15.
44. By annual pay, Dutch women earned 32% less, mainly through fewer hours.
45. UK full-time women earned 6.9% less than men in April 2025.
46. Across all UK employees, the gap reached 12.8%.
47. In 2024/25, 78% of reporting UK employers paid men more.
48. Worldwide, just 68.8% of the overall gender gap is now closed.
49. At today’s pace, full global parity sits 123 years away.
50. Closing the economic-participation gap alone could take 135 years.

How Octagon supports compliant hiring across Europe

Pay transparency is no longer optional across Europe. From June 2026, employers must disclose pay data and act on unjustified gaps. For cross-border employers, that means new duties in every market. Octagon Professionals International helps organisations navigate this complexity. Octagon brings 38+ years of experience across the Netherlands, Italy, France, Germany, Cyprus and the UK. It acts as your employer of record and payroll partner. Compliance sits at the core of every service. As a result, Octagon reduces misclassification risk, sick-pay liability and reporting errors. Meanwhile, you keep full control over salary, benefits and working arrangements. Ready to hire and pay talent compliantly across Europe? Contact Octagon today at info@octagon.nl.

Frequently asked questions

What is the gender pay gap in Europe in 2026?

In 2024, the latest year available, women in the EU earned 11.1% less per hour than men. The euro-area gap was 11.4%. National figures differ widely, from -0.8% in Luxembourg to 18.8% in Estonia. Progress continues, but slowly.

What is the EU Pay Transparency Directive?

The EU Pay Transparency Directive requires employers to disclose pay levels and report differences between men and women. Companies must justify any unjustified gap above 5% and then act to close it. Member states had until 7 June 2026 to adopt it.

Which country has the highest gender pay gap in the EU?

Estonia had the widest gender pay gap in the EU in 2024, at 18.8%, followed by Czechia at 18.5%. At the other end, women in Luxembourg out-earned men. Belgium, Poland and Romania also reported some of the smallest gaps.

Why does the gender pay gap still exist?

Several factors drive the gap. Women work part-time more often, take on more unpaid care, and concentrate in lower-paid sectors like care and education. They also hold fewer senior roles. These patterns widen the gap with age, especially after parenthood.

How long will it take to close the gender pay gap?

On current trends, the World Economic Forum estimates full global parity is 123 years away. The economic-participation gap alone could take 135 years. In Europe, pay transparency rules aim to speed things up by exposing unjustified pay differences.