The EU’s deadline for transposing the bloc’s Lohntransparenzrichtlinie into national law expired on Sunday, but Austria’s working group on wage transparency remains deadlocked. Labour Minister Korinna Schumann (SPÖ) confirmed on Saturday that she had sent a draft bill to the federal chancellery for inter-ministerial coordination, bypassing the social partners after talks collapsed. “The draft is not provocative,” a ministry spokesperson insisted, yet business lobby groups had already warned it would impose excessive reporting burdens on companies. The measure, which aims to close gender pay gaps by forcing firms to disclose salary ranges, was supposed to enter force on 7 June but now faces an uncertain parliamentary path.
Schumann’s move follows weeks of fruitless negotiations with the Austrian Economic Chamber (WKÖ) and the Chamber of Labour (AK), which had clashed over the scope of mandatory disclosures and penalties for non-compliance. The draft reportedly keeps fines capped at €5,000 but requires companies with more than 50 employees to publish median wages by gender and job category. The WKÖ had demanded thresholds raised to 250 staff and argued that the EU directive allowed member states to phase in reporting requirements. “We still see a risk of legal uncertainty,” said WKÖ president Harald Mahrer .
The impasse mirrors broader tensions within Austria’s coalition, where the ÖVP has privately criticised the SPÖ-led initiative as an electoral manoeuvre ahead of next year’s presidential vote. Polls show 62 % of Austrians support wage transparency, yet business groups warn the law could deter investment at a time of sluggish growth. The ministry counters that the EU’s own impact assessment found net benefits of €1.2 billion annually across the bloc by reducing turnover and absenteeism linked to pay discrimination.
Across the border, Germany’s stalled Wahlrechtsreform offers a cautionary tale. Negotiations between the SPD and Union parties have stalled for months over seat allocation formulas, with the CSU insisting any changes must respect the coalition agreement. FDP vice-chair Nicola Beer warned on Sunday that “a small check on reforms” risks undermining investor confidence in Europe’s largest economy .
Brussels meanwhile prepares to activate its new Asylpakt on 12 June, replacing the term “Asylwerber” with “Antragsteller” and tightening screening deadlines. The package, which harmonises EU asylum procedures, has drawn criticism from NGOs for prioritising speed over safeguards. In the car industry, manufacturers are lobbying Brussels to delay Brexit tariffs on electric vehicles until 2028, arguing that current rules of origin cannot be met by the 2027 deadline .