Socialists and Democrats welcome the proposal by the European Commission for a Directive to introduce pay transparency measures - a first and necessary step to end pay differences between men and women which remain too high: on average, women in the EU earn 14.1% less than men in comparable positions.

On Thursday 4 March, the European Commission presented its European Pillar of Social Rights’ Action Plan. Aimed at further reinforcing the social dimension of the EU, the Action Plan highlights upcoming actions and initiatives to bring to life the European Pillar of Social Rights endorsed by EU leaders at the 2017 Social Summit in Gothenburg.

Following up on the publication, Valeria Ronzitti, SGI Europe General Secretary, said:

Reacting to the presentation of the Action Plan by the European Commission on the implementation of the 2017 European Pillar of Social Rights, S&D Group leader Iratxe García MEP said:

While the European People’s Party Group in the European Parliament was once again discussing how to deal with Fidesz MEPs, the S&D Group was hearing the first-hand account of how Orbán and his government are harassing free media in Hungary. It is time for conservatives to stop enabling the damaging actions of illiberal governments in the EU and we hope they will accept including Slovenia in the debate about media freedom in the next plenary session.

Iratxe García said: