The principle of equal pay for equal work was the starting point (historically as well) of the equal opportunity policy for genders in the European Community. The original Article 119 of Rome Treaty prevailing in 1957 establishing the European Economic Community announced the principle of equal pay for male and female workers for equal work. The aim of member states was not to distort the economic competition among them as some member states might pay more attention to the question of gender equality than others.

The equal opportunities of genders is not only important to ensure the conditions of equal competition but it is among the social goals of the European Economic Union as well since it is not only an economic community but a community which aspires to provide better living and working conditions for its citizens and also to encourage social development.

The concept of 'equal work' in the Treaty of Rome can only have a strict interpretation as it speaks about equal pay only in that case if the work and its conditions are exactly same.

Article 119. was laconic and left several open questions (what the wage is, what is considered equal work etc.)