Sweden's first report on the implementation of the pay transparency directive (update)

At a glance

• On 29 May 2024, the first proposal on Sweden's implementation of the EU pay transparency directive (Directive) was published.
• The deadline for the Directive’s implementation is 7 June 2026.

Update: 31 March 2026

The government's indication that its implementing legislation would take effect on 1 January 2027 is now under review, and implementation may now be postponed beyond this. Please see: Government indicates that it intends to delay progress on implementation of the Gender Pay Transparency Directive - DLA Piper GENIE

Update: 26 March 2026

In March 2026, the Swedish government confirmed that the final bill to implement the Directive will not now be published until the end of March 2026. Further, the government has stated that the new provisions will not take effect until 1 January 2027 (over 6 months after the 7 June 2026 deadline).

Update: 21 January 2026

On 15 January 2026, a referral by the government to the Council on Legislation was published, proposing the amendments to the Discrimination Act that are needed to implement the Directive. The referral indicates that the required amendments will come into force on 1 July 2026 (over three weeks after the 7 June 2026 deadline). The final bill implementing those amendments is not now expected until mid-March 2026.

On 29 May 2024, the first proposal was published on Sweden's implementation of the Directive.

The main points in the proposal include:

• Employers must provide information to job applicants about the starting salary or its range, along with the collective agreement provisions applied by the employer for the relevant position. Such information must be provided in a timely manner to allow for an informed pay negotiations.
• An employer must not ask an employee about their pay history during employment with another employer.
• The Directive’s mandate for non-discriminatory recruitment processes is satisfied by the existing clauses in the Discrimination Act.

The proposal is being criticised for exceeding the requirements of the Directive. For example, it is envisaged that provisions in the Directive that only apply to larger companies should apply to all employers in Sweden.

The proposal will now be prepared by the government. The deadline for the implementation is 7 June 2026.

For further information on the gender pay transparency directive, please refer to our gender pay transparency guide.