Cyprus ranks at the top of the European Union for concerns over fair wages, with more than eight in ten workers saying they fear their pay does not match their skills and experience, according to a new European Commission report.

The findings come from the Eurobarometer survey published in the Commission’s “Investing in Fairness” report, which examined perceptions of wage fairness across all 27 EU member states. The issue of fair compensation has become increasingly relevant amid economic instability, inflationary pressures, and rapid technological changes reshaping the labour market.

According to the survey, 86% of Cypriots are either “very worried” or “fairly worried” about not receiving a fair salary. Strikingly, 59% fall into the “very worried” category—the highest rate in Europe alongside Portugal, where 55 percent expressed the same level of concern.

The survey revealed a clear North–South divide. Countries in Southern Europe—including Cyprus, Portugal (86%), Greece (85%), Italy (84%), and Spain (81%)—record the highest levels of concern. In contrast, only 19 percent of Danes, 26 percent of Swedes, and 28 percent of Dutch citizens reported similar worries.

As Euronews explains, this contrast highlights how trust in social justice and wage equity remains far stronger in Northern Europe, while concerns over low or stagnant wages dominate public sentiment in the South.

Across the bloc, two-thirds of respondents (67%) expressed concern over fair pay, with 30 percent saying they were “very worried” and 37 percent “fairly worried.” Only 31 percent of Europeans said they were not worried at all about receiving fair compensation.

The report also notes that age and gender play little role in shaping these concerns, while income levels do: higher earnings are generally associated with lower levels of worry.