Recital 8

(8)The implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in matters of employment and occupation, as described in Directive 2006/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council ⁵ , requires comparable data on wages received by men and women. In order to strengthen the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women, Article 31 of the Directive (EU) 2023/970 of the European Parliament and of the Council ⁶ requires Member States to provide the Commission with up-to-date gender pay gap data annually and in a timely manner. That obligation should be complemented by the appropriate necessary statistical frame for compiling and transmitting gender pay gap data, that should include the detailed topics, the periodicity of the data provision, the reference periods and the deadline for data transmission.