Menopause is a workplace issue that European lawmakers have largely ignored, according to the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), which is now pressing for binding EU legislation to protect the millions of women affected.
The umbrella body, representing 45 million workers in 41 countries, argues that current occupational health rules are still shaped around male-dominated sectors and fail to account for the realities of a workforce where women make up nearly half. “Women’s work-related health risks remain largely ignored by the law, which remains orientated around male-dominated jobs,” said Isabelle Schömann, ETUC Deputy General Secretary. “It’s high time that the law caught up with the reality of the whole workforce today and the risks facing them.”
A growing economic toll
Menopause typically strikes between ages 45 and 55, a period when many women are at the peak of their careers. The ETUC cites research showing that around 85% of women experience at least one symptom—fatigue, sleep disruption, hot flushes, joint pain, anxiety, or difficulty concentrating—and that roughly 30% find these symptoms affect their ability to work.
The financial consequences are stark. A study from Norway, referenced by the ETUC, found that women’s earnings fell by 7.4% within four years of a menopause diagnosis, driven by reduced hours, sick leave, and missed promotions. “Loss of pay, lost promotions, and lower pensions is the price being paid by millions of women for the failure to adapt work to the menopause,” Schömann said.
Brussels steps cautiously
The campaign arrives as the European Parliament prepares to debate a report that frames menopause as an economic, employment, and social issue. Spanish Socialist MEP Lina Gálvez is leading the initiative, titled Menopause beyond a health issue, which calls for a dedicated EU strategy, broader research, public campaigns to combat stigma, and better workplace support.
“It is therefore essential to have an EU strategy that includes broader and more inclusive EU research, evidence-based public campaigns to change the social perceptions, improved workplace support and improved access to healthcare,” Gálvez wrote. “It is time for the EU to tackle menopause.” The report is still a parliamentary initiative and will only be discussed in plenary next year.
The European Commission, for its part, has stopped short of proposing a dedicated menopause strategy. In November 2025, Equality Commissioner Hadja Lahbib said no such plan was in the pipeline, though she pointed to research funded under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. The Commission did, however, include menopause in its Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030, published in March, which commits to exchanging national best practices on menstrual and menopause poverty and to a 2028 study on the economic benefits of closing the women’s health gap.
Those steps mark a shift in recognition but fall short of the binding workplace rights the ETUC is seeking. The union body wants risk assessments that cover temperature, ventilation, and facilities; flexible hours and remote working options; training for managers and HR staff; and physical adjustments such as temperature controls and ergonomic equipment. It also calls for menopause policies to be negotiated with trade unions and for free menstrual and menopause products at work.
“The way work is organised can make a crucial difference in deciding the impact of the menopause,” Schömann said, noting that unions are already negotiating collective agreements on these issues. In Belgium, for example, unions have been vocal about workplace rights, though the menopause issue remains a separate front.
The push comes as the EU grapples with broader economic pressures, from energy prices and trade disputes to budget deadlocks. But for the ETUC, the menopause question is a matter of fairness and economic sense. With women making up a growing share of the workforce across the 27 member states, the cost of inaction is mounting—both for individual women and for European economies that can ill afford to lose their skills and experience.
As the Parliament prepares to vote on Gálvez’s report, the ETUC is urging MEPs to back a legally binding framework. “It’s high time that the law caught up with the reality of the whole workforce today,” Schömann reiterated. Whether Brussels will listen remains to be seen, but the pressure is clearly building.
