Answer given by Ms Dalli on behalf of the European Commission
11.12.2020
Paying differently male and female football players playing in national teams without a proportionate, justified reason goes against the equal pay principle enshrined in Article 157 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Unio n and the recast Directive 2006/54/EC. The recast Directive prohibits direct and indirect discrimination on grounds of sex including gender-based pay discrimination.
The Commission promotes gender equality in all fields of work, including the world of sport. It does so by addressing the gender pay gap as an important objective of the adopted EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025[1].
The Commission contributes to raising awareness of the need to ensure the gender balance in sport. Gender equality is a general principle underpinning all Commission actions in the field of sport. The Commission is currently working on the follow-up of the proposal for Strategic Actions 2014-2020 on gender equality in sport. The aim is to renew its commitments by 2021.
The arrangement for cooperation between the Commission and UEFA (the Union of European Football Associations)[2] includes joint efforts to promote gender equality in sport.