France missed the Directive's 7 June 2026 transposition deadline but moved into a formal legislative phase on 10 September 2026. The Government presented a transposition bill to the Council of Ministers and deposited it in the Senate under accelerated procedure. As of 3 October 2026, the text was still a bill rather than final enacted law. The proposal would add recruitment salary-range disclosure, prohibit asking candidates about current or past pay, strengthen employees' information rights and prohibit clauses preventing workers from discussing their own pay. It would also reshape France's existing professional equality index, including new indicators for employers with at least 50 employees and proposed pre-calculation of several indicators from DSN data. Employers should prepare for the direction of travel while monitoring parliamentary amendments and the final commencement timetable.

France implementation

Jurisdiction: France

Transposition deadline: 7 June 2026

France Presented Its Transposition Bill on 10 September 2026

France did not complete transposition by the EU deadline of 7 June 2026. The legislative position changed materially on 10 September 2026, when the Government presented a transposition bill to the Council of Ministers and deposited the text in the Senate. The Government also engaged the accelerated procedure. As of 3 October 2026, the measure was still moving through Parliament, so proposed provisions should be described as bill measures rather than final statutory obligations. This distinction matters because parliamentary amendments can change thresholds, procedures or effective dates before promulgation.

The Bill Would Add Recruitment Pay Transparency

Official French government material says the proposal would require employers to inform job candidates of the proposed remuneration or a remuneration range during recruitment. It would also prevent employers from asking candidates about their current or past remuneration. Those measures align closely with the Directive's recruitment-transparency baseline, but the French bill is the instrument that will determine the final national wording, procedural details and commencement date. Employers can begin reviewing job-advertising and recruitment workflows now while keeping the distinction between preparation and current legal obligation clear.

Employees Would Receive Stronger Pay Information Rights

The proposed French framework would strengthen workers' access to information about their own remuneration position and average remuneration levels within the relevant category. Government material also states that contractual clauses preventing workers from disclosing information about their own pay would be prohibited. These provisions would sit alongside France's existing labour-law and equality framework. Employers should therefore map how requests will be received, which worker categories will be used, which data source will generate the comparison and how privacy protections will be maintained once the final text is adopted.

France Plans to Rework the Professional Equality Index

France already operates the Index de l'égalité professionnelle, so transposition is being designed around an existing national measurement system rather than a blank sheet. Official Service Public guidance on the September bill says employers with at least 50 employees would measure and declare gender-pay indicators and that the current index would be strengthened, including a new indicator concerning pay differences between workers doing equal work or work of equal value. The Government has also described a transition toward a new index from 2028, subject to final legislation and implementation measures.

DSN Data Is Central to the Proposed Reporting Design

The September 2026 government information says the first six indicators would be automatically pre-calculated from data in the Déclaration sociale nominative, or DSN. That is a significant national implementation feature because it links future pay-transparency reporting with an established payroll and social-declaration infrastructure. For employers, data quality in the underlying payroll records therefore becomes especially important. The exact calculation logic, correction procedures and filing mechanics should still be verified against the final law and implementing guidance rather than inferred solely from the bill announcement.

What French Employers Should Track Next

The key next stages are Senate examination, any amendments, National Assembly consideration, final parliamentary adoption, promulgation and publication of implementing measures. Employers should also monitor the timetable for the redesigned professional equality index, any ministry guidance on worker categories and the technical rules for DSN-based pre-calculation. Existing French equality obligations remain relevant during the transition. Planning can proceed using the government bill as a roadmap, but compliance documentation should clearly identify which measures are already in force and which remain contingent on final legislation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has France fully implemented the EU Pay Transparency Directive?

As of 3 October 2026, France had introduced a government transposition bill and placed it before Parliament under accelerated procedure, but the bill had not yet been treated here as final enacted law.

Will French employers have to show salary ranges to candidates?

The September 2026 government bill proposes that candidates receive the proposed remuneration or a remuneration range before recruitment. The final obligation should be checked against the law as ultimately adopted.

Is France replacing its professional equality index?

The Government proposes to strengthen and transition the existing index, including new Directive-related indicators and a move toward a new index from 2028, subject to final legislation and implementing rules.

Related Guides

Official Sources

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Requirements and practices differ by jurisdiction and organisation. Check current local law, official guidance and professional advice for a specific situation.