EU Pay Transparency Directive (2023/970)
"EU Pay Transparency" is the short name for the Pay Transparency Directive (EU) 2023/970. Its transposition deadline of 7 June 2026 has passed; as at 17 August 2026 neither Germany nor Austria had a transposition act, and in Germany not even a ministerial draft had been published (BT-Drs. 21/7026).
Definition
Directive (EU) 2023/970 lays down minimum requirements to strengthen the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women, in particular through pay transparency and reinforced enforcement mechanisms (Art. 1). It applies to employers in the public and private sectors (Art. 2(1)), but does not bind them directly: what counts is the national implementing act, which the Member States had to bring into force by 7 June 2026 (Art. 34(1)).
Status (as at 17 August 2026): Germany has no implementing act; the lead Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth is preparing a bill (BT-Drs. 21/7026). Austria has no implementing act; petition 2/PET (28th legislative period) calling for swift transposition is before the Committee on Labour and Social Affairs.
In substance, the directive governs pay transparency prior to employment (Art. 5), employees' right to information (Art. 7), reporting on the gender pay gap from 100 workers (Art. 9) and the joint pay assessment (Art. 10). In the AGG Kit: a pay gap analysis tool, a pay report template and an information request form.
This entry is the short definition with the current status; how the gender pay gap is calculated under the directive and when the 5% threshold triggers a joint pay assessment is explained in the entry Gender pay gap under the EU directive; all obligations, thresholds and deadlines at a glance are set out in the article EU Pay Transparency 2026: Obligations, Thresholds, Templates.