Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-02-08-Speech-1-163"
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"en.20100208.16.1-163"2
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"Madam President, honourable Members, the current Commission welcomes the report and the draft resolution on equality between women and men in the European Union 2009.
The current crisis is having serious repercussions for the labour market, threatening the recent progress made in relation to female employment, given that women are less likely to be able to find a new job and that they are more disadvantaged to begin with.
Ladies and gentlemen, during my mandate, I committed myself to improving the work-life balance. I agree with the European Parliament when it stresses the importance of enabling fathers to play a greater role in family life. This is why I have asked my services to begin a cost-benefit analysis of a potential Commission initiative in this area.
The European Parliament’s report also rightly stresses the importance of eliminating violence against women. The Commission will work towards this goal with purpose and with great determination.
I would not wish to end this speech without stressing the very good cooperation between Parliament and the Commission. This cooperation has been a key factor in the progress made in relation to gender equality. Gender equality is not merely an end in itself. The achievement of the European Union’s growth, employment and social cohesion objectives depends on it.
Thank you for your cooperation and your attention.
I wish to thank the rapporteur, Mr Tarabella, for the support expressed by Parliament for the approach adopted and the actions taken by the European Commission to promote equality between women and men. Gender equality is one of the European Union’s fundamental values and a prerequisite for the achievement of the European Union’s growth, employment and social cohesion objectives.
On this basis, the European Union has built a real policy to promote equality between women and men. Whilst unquestionable progress has been achieved in this area, major challenges remain. The Commission shares the rapporteur’s view that it is essential to continue with our efforts.
During my mandate, gender equality and women’s rights have been at the centre of my concerns. During these last five years, the Commission’s commitment to gender equality has been formalised in the roadmap for equality between women and men. In the course of implementing this roadmap, the Commission has introduced several notable initiatives. By way of illustration, I will mention three of these.
The Commission has proposed some practical actions to overcome the pay gap between men and women. This discrepancy, which amounts to 17%, is quite simply unacceptable. In 2010, the Commission will report on the analysis of the effectiveness of the European legislation and will present courses of action to overcome the pay gap.
The Commission has noted the interesting ideas contained in the European Parliament’s resolution. I would also remind you that, in March 2009, the Commission launched an awareness campaign aimed at mobilising all of the parties involved to combat the wage gap. Given the success of this campaign, it will be extended into 2010.
During my mandate, I have also been careful to promote greater representation of women in economic and political life. On that basis, in June 2008, I introduced a European Network for Women in Decision Making. Some progress has been made. The current European Parliament, for example, has its highest ever percentage of women: 35%.
However, significant efforts are still required, especially at national level, where women on average make up only 24% of all national members of parliament, and in companies, where women make up less than 11% of the board members of the major stock exchange-listed companies.
The third notable initiative is the introduction of the European Institute for Gender Equality. I am pleased to be able to say today that, despite a slower start than we had imagined, the institute has begun its activities in Brussels and is already installed in its offices in Vilnius."@en1
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