Press Release: Equal Pay Day: Women in Europe work 59 days ‘for free’

16.2%: that’s the size of the gender pay gap, or the average difference between women and men’s hourly earnings across the EU, according to the figures released 27 February 2013 by the European Commission. The news came ahead of the 2013 European Equal Pay Day on 28 February 2013.

The EU-wide event marks the extra number of days that women would need to work to match the amount earned by men: currently 59 days, meaning in 2013 the day falls on 28 February. To help tackle the pay gap, the Commission highlighted a series of good practices by companies in Europe which have taken on the problem.