Insights

As of 7 June 2023, the EU Pay Transparency Directive has entered into force. The directive aims to counter pay gaps between men and women and requires organisations to make pay differences more transparent, explainable and verifiable.

The Advisory Division of the Council of State (the Division) issued advice on 1 April 2026 on the Dutch legislative proposal to implement the European Pay Transparency Directive. The Division endorses the objective of the Pay Transparency Directive.

Despite decades of policy at European and national level, the pay gap between men and women in the Netherlands continues to persist. With the introduction of European Directive and the Dutch government bill implementing this directive, the focus is now on structural change through the introduction of several measures.

The Pay Transparency Directive is coming and fundamentally changes how organisations deal with remuneration.

The EU Pay Transparency Directive (EUPTD) fundamentally changes how organisations must deal with remuneration, job evaluation and internal communication. Employers are given specific obligations in the areas of reporting, data quality and transparency towards employees and candidates. On this page you will find all the information about the EUPTD.

When organisations think of the European Pay Transparency Directive, they often immediately focus on salaries, reporting and pay differences. However, it is important to start at the beginning: which employees will fall under these rules?

Many organisations are now aware that the European Pay Transparency Directive (EUPTD) is on its way. What is not always fully top of mind is that the directive has applied to every employer in Europe since this month. This means it is no longer a future issue, but a current obligation.

To determine whether pay differences exist within the international engineering consultancy, Grant Thornton helped Iv gain valuable insight through a detailed pay gap analysis. Anne-Fleur Vernhout and Tom van Mierlo of Grant Thornton speak with HR manager Joke Walta of Iv. “You cannot rely solely on the feeling that everyone is treated equally. Insight is needed.”