--- title: "Italy Overtakes the UK for the First Time in Job Ads Stating Salaries, but Most EU Countries Missed the Deadline for New Rules" description: "Italy has overtaken the UK for the first time in the share of job ads with a stated salary — 61% versus 60%. At the same time, most EU countries failed to transpose the Pay Transparency Directive by the 7 June 2026 deadline." date: 2026-09-09T05:22:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/eu-pay-transparency-directive-italy-overtakes-uk tags: [eu-pay-transparency, salary-disclosure, gender-pay-gap, labor-market, italy, european-union] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Italy Overtakes the UK for the First Time in Job Ads Stating Salaries, but Most EU Countries Missed the Deadline for New Rules ![Employee working on a laptop in an office illustrating the new EU rules on stating salaries in job vacancies](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/09/es-direktiva-prozornost-zarplat-italiya-obog-velikobritaniyu/es-direktiva-prozornost-zarplat-italiya-obog-velikobritaniyu-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - The deadline for transposing the Pay Transparency Directive in the EU was 7 June 2026; most countries missed it. - Italy: the share of job ads with a stated salary rose from 26% (July 2025) to 61% (July 2026), overtaking the UK (60%). - In Germany the salary is stated in 14% of job ads, in Spain — 18%, in France — 43%, and in the Netherlands — 49.5%. - Only five EU countries have fully transposed the directive: Italy, Slovakia, Malta, Lithuania, and Greece. - The gender pay gap in the EU in 2024 stood at 11.1% according to Eurostat data. In Europe, as in Ukraine, most candidates still do not know how much they will be offered when they respond to a job posting. The European Union adopted the Pay Transparency Directive, which requires employers to state the salary or its range; however, by the deadline of 7 June 2026, most countries had not managed to transpose the new rules into national legislation. ### Why Brussels Intervened The European Commission views the concealment of pay levels as a factor that contributes to discrimination and widens the gender pay gap. According to Eurostat data, in 2024 this gap in the EU stood at 11.1%: on average, for every 100 euros earned by men, women received 88.9 euros. This was one of the key reasons for introducing the new transparency requirements. ### Italy Overtakes the UK for the First Time The most notable changes have been recorded in Italy. According to data from the Indeed platform, the share of job ads with a stated salary rose from 26% in July 2025 to 61% in July 2026. Thus, Italy overtook the UK for the first time among six major European countries — 61% versus 60%. At the same time, London is not part of the EU, but since 2020 it has consistently shown a high share of such job ads. ### Where Transparency Remains Low Italy's result contrasts with other major economies. In Germany, the salary is stated in only 14% of job ads, in Spain — 18%, in France — 43%, and in the Netherlands — 49.5%. Full transparency in 100% of listings is not expected: the directive contains exceptions, and in several countries work on the rules for application and enforcement is ongoing. ### Who Made It in Time and Who Delayed As of this period, only five EU countries have transposed the directive — Italy, Slovakia, Malta, Lithuania, and Greece. Spain has made limited progress, Germany has postponed transposition to early 2027, and France's position remains uncertain. ### Context: Ukraine and Cautious Hiring in Europe In Ukraine, in a number of sectors, including media, salaries have risen noticeably over the year, yet employers complain that the number of responses per job posting has remained at the same level or declined. Meanwhile, European companies are holding back on hiring, while simultaneously assessing the need for new staff, automation opportunities, and investments in artificial intelligence. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [EU to Force Companies to Name Salaries Before Interviews: Who Is Already Meeting the New Rules](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/es-zmusyat-nazivati-zarplati-spivbesid-hto-1788927102.html) - Подтверждает дедлайн 7 июня 2026 года, список имплементировавших стран и динамику по Италии. - [Salaries Brought to Light](https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/8728168) - Подтверждает мотивацию директивы (гендерный разрыв) и региональные различия в указании зарплат. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: When was the deadline for transposing the Pay Transparency Directive in the EU? **A:** The final deadline was 7 June 2026, however most EU countries failed to meet the requirement on time. ### Q: Which country showed the greatest growth in the share of job ads with a stated salary? **A:** Italy: from 26% in July 2025 to 61% in July 2026 according to Indeed data, overtaking the UK (60%) for the first time. ### Q: How many EU countries have fully transposed the directive? **A:** As of this period — five: Italy, Slovakia, Malta, Lithuania, and Greece. ### Q: What is the gender pay gap in the EU? **A:** According to Eurostat data, in 2024 it stood at 11.1%: for every 100 euros earned by men, women received on average 88.9 euros.