What measures to you propose to narrow this pension gap?



This should remain the responsibility of member states, so we don't want to propose a harmonisation at EU level. However, first of all we need to raise awareness of the issue and the continuing inequalities. The countries with the best results are those that have been careful to working towards true equality. When calculating pensions that also includes taking into account time spent putting a career on hold in order to look after children.



The Parliament and the Commission could work on a general European strategy to encourage member states to analyse the inequalities and put into place measures to overcome them.



In your report you say that we should encourage people to find out more about their finances, especially women. How should this be achieved?



It's more about making women aware of the importance of this. When they start their career, they should be careful to check they earn enough and that they are well informed about how the pension system works in their country. For example, part-time work might seem like an attractive option, but it can work against you if you do it for too long as it will lead to a lower pension when you retire.



In some member states up to a third of retired women don't have a pension. How is this possible?



These are the wives of the farmers, traders and craftsmen I mentioned earlier, who worked for many years but received a low salary that did not reflect their efforts. It's not because they did not declare their income; it's because their contribution is not taken into account enough.