The article is a review of the European approach to economic policy, taking into account the feature of gender, so-called gender mainstreaming. It analyses the legislative achievements of the European Union in this area and domestic solutions. There is also compared the situation of women and men in the European labor market, with particular emphasis on Danish and Polish examples, and the causes and consequences of gender inequality in economic decision-making. Identification of barriers to the implementation of gender equality in the social, economic and political aspects as well as possibile ways of their elimination is also attempted.