Editing Equal pay for equal work (section)

===European Union/European Economic Area===
Post-war Europe has seen a fairly consistent pattern in women's participation in the labour market and legislation to promote equal pay for equal work across Eastern and Western countries.<ref>{{cite book |first1=Angela |last1=Movileanu |chapter=Equal Pay |title=Encyclopedia of Women in Today's World |editor1-first=Mary Zeiss |editor1-last=Stange |editor2-first=Carol K. |editor2-last=Oyster |editor3-first=Jane E. |editor3-last=Sloan |publisher=SAGE |year=2011 |pages=491–93, at p. 492 }}</ref><ref name="Koldinskà 2007">{{cite journal |last1=Koldinskà |first1=Kristina |title=Gender Equality: Before and After the Enlargement of EU: The Case of the Czech Republic |journal=European Law Journal |date=March 2007 |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=238–252 |doi=10.1111/j.1468-0386.2007.00366.x |s2cid=154210678 }}</ref>

Some countries now in the EU, including France, Germany, and Poland, had already enshrined the principle of equal pay for equal work in their constitutions before the foundation of the EU (see table below). When the [[European Economic Community]], later the [[European Union]] (EU), was founded in 1957, the principle of equal pay for equal work was named as a key principle. Article 141 of the Treaty of Rome says "each Member State shall ensure that the principle of equal pay for male and female workers for equal work or work of equal value is applied."<ref>{{CELEX|12002E141|format=HTML|text=Treaty establishing the European Community (Nice consolidated version) - Part Three: Community policies - Title XI: Social policy, education, vocational training and youth - Chapter 1: Social Provisions - Article 141 - Article 119 - EC Treaty (Maastricht consolidated version) - Article 119 - EEC Treaty}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.unionhistory.info/equalpay/roaddisplay.php?irn=785|title=Winning Equal Pay: The value of women's work|last=University|first=London Metropolitan|website=www.unionhistory.info|language=en|access-date=2019-08-28}}</ref> While socially progressive, this decision does not necessarily indicate widespread progressive attitudes among the signatories to the treaty:

::While this is often viewed as an example of the progressive nature of the European community, some argue that Article 141 (previously 119) was included largely as a concession to the French who already had equal pay legislation and feared that they would be at a comparative disadvantage.<ref>New JNCHES Equality Working Group, 'The Gender Pay Gap - A Literature Review', p. 7 fn. 15, citing Townsend-Smith, ''Sex Discrimination in Employment'' (London: Sweet and Maxwell, 1989).</ref>

The EEC's legislation was clarified in 1975 by the binding and directly applicable equal pay directive 75/117/EEC.<ref>{{CELEX|31975L0117|text=Council Directive 75/117/EEC of 10 February 1975 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the application of the principle of equal pay for men and women}}</ref> This prohibited all discrimination on the grounds of sex in relation to pay; this and other directives were integrated into a single Directive in 2006 (2006/54/EC).<ref>New JNCHES Equality Working Group, 'The Gender Pay Gap - A Literature Review', p. 7.</ref>

At the national level the principle of equal pay is in general fully reflected in the legislation of the 28 EU member states and the additional countries of the [[European Economic Area]] (EEA), Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The [[EU candidate countries]] of Macedonia and Turkey also adapted their legislation to EU standards.<ref name="ec.europa.eu"/> The main national legislation concerning pay equity between men and women for different European countries is as follows.<ref name="eurofound.europa.eu"/>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Country
! Main legal provisions
|-
| Austria
| The 1979 Act on Equal Treatment on Men and Women (as amended since)
|-
| Belgium
| The 1999 Law on Equal Treatment for Men and Women (Articles 12 and 25) and the Royal Decree of 9 December 1975
|-
| Bulgaria
| Equal pay for equal work included in the labour code<ref name="ec.europa.eu">{{Cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/info/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/gender-equality_en|title=Gender equality|website=European Commission - European Commission|language=en|access-date=2019-11-18}}</ref>
|-
| Czech Republic
| Remuneration for work is regulated by Act no. 262/2006 Coll., the labour code, and by Act no. 234/2014  Coll., Civil Service Act.
|-
| Denmark
| The 1976 Act on Equal Pay for Men and Women, as amended since to include additional points
|-
| Finland
| The 1995 Constitution (section 5, paragraph 4) and the Act on Equality between Men and Women (section 8, paragraph 2)
|-
| France
| The 1946 Constitution and Articles L.140.2 and thereafter of the Labour Code
|-
| Germany
| The 1949 Constitution or "Basic Law" (Article 3)
|-
| Greece
| The 1975 Constitution (Article 22(1)), as amended in 2001, and Law 1484/1984 (Article 4)
|-
| Hungary
| Equal pay for equal work was previously included in the constitution,<ref name="ec.europa.eu"/> but it has changed; there is now only equality between men and women, and the pay is in the Labour Code.
|-
| Iceland
| The 1961 Equal pay act (#60/1961),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.althingi.is/thingstorf/thingmalalistar-eftir-thingum/ferill/?ltg=81&mnr=59|title=Launajöfnuður karla og kvenna|website=Alþingi|access-date=27 March 2018}}</ref> 1976 Law for Equality between women and men (#78/1976<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.althingi.is/thingstorf/thingmalalistar-eftir-thingum/ferill/?ltg=97&mnr=192|title=Jafnrétti kvenna og karla|website=Alþingi|access-date=27 March 2018}}</ref>), 2008 Act on Equal Status and Equal Rights of Women and Men (#10/2008) and the amendment added to the law in 2017: Law on equal pay certification <ref name="althingi.is">{{cite web|url=http://www.althingi.is/lagas/148a/2008010.html|title=10/2008: Lög um jafna stöðu og jafnan rétt kvenna og karla|website=Alþingi|access-date=27 March 2018}}</ref> according to the Equal Pay Standard introduced in 2012 (ÍST 85:2012<ref name="stadlar.is">{{cite web|url=http://www.stadlar.is/verslun/p-54558-st-852012-e.aspx|title=Staðlabúðin - ÍST 85:2012 (e)|website=www.stadlar.is|access-date=27 March 2018|archive-date=26 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826122623/http://www.stadlar.is/verslun/p-54558-st-852012-e.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>)
|-
| Ireland
| The 1998 Employment Equality Act (IE9909144F),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/article/1999/the-implications-of-the-employment-equality-act-1998|title=The implications of the Employment Equality Act 1998|website=Eurofound|language=en|access-date=2019-08-28}}</ref> repealing the 1974 Anti-Discrimination (Pay) Act and the 1977 Employment Equality Act
|-
| Israel
| The 1998 Law for Option Equality at Work and the 1996 Law for Equal Pay for Female Worker and Male Worker
|-
| Italy
| The Constitution (Articles 3 and 37),<ref>{{cite web|title=The Italian Constitution|url=http://www.quirinale.it/page/costituzione|publisher=The official website of the Presidency of the Italian Republic}}: "Working women are entitled to equal rights and, for comparable jobs, equal pay as men. Working conditions must allow women to fulfil their essential role in the family and ensure appropriate protection for the mother and child."</ref> Law 903/1977 (Article 2), and Law 125/1991
|-
| Latvia
| Equal pay for equal work included in the labour code<ref name="ec.europa.eu"/>
|-
| Liechtenstein
| Equal pay for equal work included in the civil code<ref name="ec.europa.eu"/>
|-
| Lithuania
| Equal pay for equal work included in the labour code<ref name="ec.europa.eu"/>
|-
| Luxembourg
| The 1981 law relating to equal treatment between men and women and the 1974 Grand-Ducal Regulation of relating to equal pay for men and women (Articles 1, 2, 3(1), 3(2) and 4)
|-
| Malta
| The Constitution (Article 14) and the Equality for Men and Women Act
|-
| Netherlands
| The Constitution (Article 1) and the 1994 Law on Equal Treatment
|-
| Norway
| The 1978 Act on Gender Equality
|-
| Poland
| The 1997 Constitution, Chapter II, Article 33.2 enshrined the equal pay for equal work principle, already included in the 1952 Constitution.
|-
| Portugal
| The Constitution (Article 59) and Law 105/1997 relating to equal treatment at work and in employment
|-
| Romania
| Equal pay for equal work included in the constitution<ref name="ec.europa.eu"/>
|-
| Slovakia
| Equal pay for equal work included in the constitution<ref name="ec.europa.eu"/>
|-
| Spain
| The Constitution (Article 35) and the Workers' Statute (Articles 17 and 28).
|-
| Sweden
| The 1980 Act on Equality between Men and Women/Equal Opportunities Act, as amended since
|-
| UK
| The [[Equal Pay Act 1970]], as amended by Equal Value Regulations of 1983, and the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975 and 1986, superseded by the [[Equality Act 2010]]
|}

'''2018 Update'''
''Law on Equal Pay Certification based on the Equal Pay Standard in Iceland''

Iceland introduced an Equal Pay Standard in 2012, ÍST 85:2012<ref name="stadlar.is"/> (Equal wage management system - Requirements and guidance).  The standard was developed by the Icelandic trade unions, the employers' confederation and government officials with the goal in mind that it would help employers prevent salary discrimination and enable them to become certified.

In 2017, the Icelandic government decided to add an amendment to the 2008 laws Act on Equal Status and Equal Rights of Women and Men (#10/2008).<ref name="althingi.is"/>  The amendment is a law on equal pay certification and was put into effect on January 1 in 2018.<ref name="althingi.is"/> According to the amendment companies and institutions employing 25 or more workers, on annual basis, will be required to obtain equal pay certification of their equal pay system and the implementation thereof. The purpose of this obligatory certification is to enforce the current legislation prohibiting discriminatory practices based on gender and requiring that women and men working for the same employer shall be paid equal wages and enjoy equal terms of employment for the same jobs or jobs of equal value.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.government.is/news/article/2018/01/04/New-Icelandic-law-on-Equal-Pay-Certification-entered-into-force-on-January-1-2018/|title=New Icelandic law on Equal Pay Certification entered into force on January 1, 2018|website=www.government.is|access-date=27 March 2018}}</ref>