What changed between the plenary report and the adopted text

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Treaty on European Union (TEU), in particular Articles 2 and 3(3) thereof,

– having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in particular Articles 8, 10, 19, 151, 153 and 157 thereof,

– having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular its provisions on gender equality (the Charter),

– having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the EU’s ratification thereof,

– having regard to Articles 22 and 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2023/970 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 to strengthen the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms (Pay Transparency Directive),

– having regard to Directive 2006/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 on the implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in matters of employment and occupation,

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on work-life balance for parents and carers and repealing Council Directive 2010/18/EU (Work-Life Balance Directive),

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2022/2381 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 November 2022 on improving the gender balance among directors of listed companies and related measures (Gender Balance on Corporate Boards Directive),

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2022/2041 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on adequate minimum wages in the European Union,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 5 March 2020 entitled ‘A Union of Equality: Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025’ (COM(2020)0152),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 18 September 2020 entitled ‘A Union of equality: EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025 (COM(2020)0565),

– having regard to the European Pillar of Social Rights and its action plan (COM(2021)0102), in particular the 2030 headline targets and the EU Social Scoreboard,

– having regard to the EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 (COM(2021)0101),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 8 October 2025 entitled ‘Union of Equality: LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2026-2030’ (COM(2025)0725),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 7 September 2022 on the European care strategy (COM(2022)0440), the Council Recommendation of 8 December 2022 on access to affordable high-quality long-term care and the Council Recommendation of 8 December 2022 on early childhood education and care: the Barcelona targets for 2030,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 7 March 2025 entitled ‘A Roadmap for Women’s Rights’ (COM(2025)0097),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 20 March 2024 entitled ‘Labour and skills shortages in the EU: an action plan’ (COM(2024)0131),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 5 March 2025 entitled ‘The Union of Skills’ (COM(2025)0090),

– having regard to the report by the Commission of October 2024 entitled ‘Social Protection Committee Annual Report 2024’,

– having regard to the report by the Commission of March 2025 entitled ‘2025 report on gender equality in the EU’,

– having regard to the report of the High-Level Expert Group on the Future of Social Protection and the Welfare State entitled ‘The future of social protection and of the welfare state in the EU’,

– having regard to the report by Mario Draghi of 9 September 2024 entitled ‘The future of European competitiveness’ (the Draghi report) and to the report by Enrico Letta of 10 April 2024 entitled ‘Much more than a Market’ (the Letta report),

– having regard to the 2024 joint report by the Social Protection Committee and the Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion entitled ‘The 2024 pension adequacy report – Current and future income adequacy in old age in the EU’,

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 3 December 2024 on ensuring work-life balance and gender equality for all generations in the context of demographic challenges,

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 4 December 2024 on labour and skills shortages in the EU: Mobilising untapped labour potential in the European Union,

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 19 June 2025 entitled ‘Advancing Gender Equality in the AI-Driven Digital Age: 6th horizontal review of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action by the Member States and the EU institutions’,

– having regard to its resolution of 14 June 2017 on the need for an EU strategy to end and prevent the gender pension gap,

– having regard to its resolution of 30 January 2020 on the gender pay gap,

– having regard to its resolution of 21 January 2021 on the EU Strategy for Gender Equality,

– having regard to its resolution of 5 July 2022 towards a common European action on care,

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the joint deliberations of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality under Rule 59 of the Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (A10-0021/2026),

A. whereas gender equality is a fundamental value of the EU, enshrined in Articles 2 and 3(3) TEU, Articles 8, 10 and 19 TFEU and Article 23 of the Charter; whereas Article 157 TFEU expressly states that Member States must ensure that the principle of equal pay for male and female workers for equal work or work of equal value is applied; whereas guaranteeing women’s economic independence and equal access to financial resources is key to achieving gender equality and combating gender-based violence;

B. whereas Principle 2 of the European Pillar of Social Rights states that ‘equality of treatment and opportunities between women and men must be ensured and fostered in all areas, including regarding participation in the labour market, terms and conditions of employment and career progression’ and that ‘women and men have the right to equal pay for equal work and work of equal value’;

C. whereas in these uncertain geopolitical times, upholding our EU values requires that the Member States prioritise the defence sector; whereas the Member States must ensure that women working in defence benefit from equal pay, fair career progression and adequate pensions; whereas closing the gender pension gap is both a strategic and moral imperative for the EU;

D. whereas the gender pay gap is defined as the difference between the average gross hourly earnings of men and women, expressed as a percentage of the average gross hourly earnings of men; whereas a significant share of the gender pay gap cannot be explained by objective, observable labour market attributes such as age, experience and education, occupation, working time or other measurable characteristics, pointing to persistent discrimination; whereas tackling the pay gap requires a balanced approach that combines equal opportunities, equal distribution of care responsibilities, the fight against gender stereotypes, pay transparency and effective enforcement, with policies that support skills, participation and career progression, while recognising that disadvantages are compounded for women facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination based on factors such as sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation;

F. whereas pay inequalities do not always reflect the value of, demand for or skills required for the work, but are rather the result of persistent gender inequality; whereas undervaluation of women’s work, occupational and sectoral segmentation, the gender gap in leadership, and the unequal division of unpaid care are structural factors in gender pay and pension gaps and require systematic job valuation and sectoral revalorisation exercises at EU and national levels; whereas the gender pay gap is not only a matter of lower earnings, but also reflects broader social, political and cultural inequalities which influence women’s economic independence, career opportunities and overall well-being;

G. whereas awareness-raising and education are essential to acknowledge the existence and seriousness of the gender pay and pension gaps, which continue to be underestimated by the public; whereas the gender pay and pension gaps have a serious influence on women’s mental health, influencing not only women’s earnings but also their exposure to psychosocial risks in the workplace, with long-term consequences for mental health and well-being over the course of their lives, demonstrated by women over 65 reporting chronic depression at twice the rate of men, reflecting the compounded effects of lower income, limited independence and persistent insecurity; whereas fair and decent pay is essential for women’s economic independence and enables women to leave situations of domestic violence; whereas addressing these gaps requires legislative and policy measures as well as a shift in societal attitudes, supported by data-driven communication and educational initiatives;

H. whereas in 2021, 74 % of women did housework and cooking daily, compared with 42 % of men; whereas when all paid and unpaid work is combined, women do eight full-time weeks’ more work per year than men;

I. whereas the World Economic Forum recently estimated that, with current rates of improvement, full gender parity will be reached in 134 years; whereas some studies calculate that it will take 90 years to close the gender pension gap; whereas new measures to close the pension gap more quickly are clearly needed;

J. whereas across the EU, women are more likely to hold lower-paid jobs and to work in the informal economy and in historically undervalued sectors, which limits their earnings and contributes to the gender pay and pension gaps; whereas 3 in 10 women in the EU work in the education, health and social work sectors, while only 8 % of men are employed in these sectors; whereas in the EU, women represent up to 80 % of the healthcare and social care workforce, while they make only up to 20 % of workers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields, exemplifying the persistent gender norms and stereotypes that discourage women from entering certain sectors; whereas it is imperative to recognise the value of traditionally women-dominated sectors such as care, healthcare, education and social work, as they are essential for society, and to encourage men to enter these sectors;

K. whereas women remain significantly under-represented in digital studies and careers, and in other fields of science, technology, art, engineering and mathematics (STEAM) and in employment sectors such as defence and aerospace, information and communications technology (ICT) and energy; whereas supporting women’s participation in STEAM fields is crucial for closing the gender pay and pension gaps, fostering innovation and ensuring that Europe’s digital and green transitions are inclusive and equitable;

L. whereas women are disproportionately affected by the increasing fragmentation of the labour market, including the rise in non-standard forms of employment such as temporary work, part-time work, platform work and self-employment; whereas women often play essential roles in family farming, agri-business and community life, yet their work is frequently undervalued or informal, leading to lower lifetime earnings and inadequate pension contributions; whereas this disadvantage is further compounded for women facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination based on factors such as race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability;