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EUROPA - SUMMARIES OF EU LEGISLATION
Roadmap
for equality between women and men (2006-2010)
The purpose of this roadmap is to drive the gender equality agenda forward. It builds on the Framework Strategy for equality between women and men 2001-2005 and takes stock of this strategy by reinforcing existing activities and proposing new ones. The roadmap identifies six priority areas and sets objectives and key actions for each of these to make them easier to achieve. It will be followed by an implementation report in 2008 and an evaluation with a follow-up proposal in 2010.
Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - A Roadmap for equality between women and men 2006-2010 [COM(2006) 92 final - Not published in the Official Journal].
The roadmap defines some existing areas and proposes other completely new areas of action. A total of six priority areas have been selected: equal economic independence for women and men, reconciliation of private and professional life, equal representation in decision-making, eradication of all forms of gender-based violence, elimination of gender stereotypes, and promotion of gender equality in external and development policies.
Equal economic independence for women and men
Despite the significant progress made thanks to equal treatment legislation and the social dialogue, Europe still faces considerable challenges. The Commission has set its objectives around six key points.
The reconciliation of private and professional life
Equal representation in decision-making
The eradication of all forms of gender-based violence
The elimination of gender stereotypes
The promotion of gender equality in external and development policies
When promoting equality in external and development policies, it is necessary to differentiate between acceding, candidate and potential candidate countries, and other countries which may take part in the European Neighbourhood Policy.
The former must enforce the Community acquis, whereas in the case of the latter, the EU seeks to promote internationally recognised principles such as the Millennium Development Declaration and the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA). It has also reaffirmed, in the "European Consensus on Development", that gender equality is one of the five key principles of development policy. The new EU Strategy for Africa also includes this aspect.
KEY ACTIONS
Review of legislation
The Commission will review the existing EU gender equality legislation not included in the 2005 recast exercise with a view to modernising it.
With the assistance of the Commission Inter-Service Group on Gender Mainstreaming, it will ensure that the aspect of gender equality is incorporated as far as possible into all policies, such as the integrated guidelines for growth and jobs and the new streamlined open method of coordination that covers pensions, social inclusion, health and long-term care.
Raising awareness
Raising awareness is the main way of eliminating gender stereotypes. One action the Commission hopes to take is to develop dialogue with EU citizens through the plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate, and the Your Europe portal.
Better statistics and more research
The need for better statistics has arisen in most fields. New indicators and a new composite Gender Equality Index should make it easier to compare data at EU level. Statistics broken down by sex are also important.
More research is required on the gender dimension in health and on health and social sectors professions. Work will continue on the European database on women and men in decision-making. The 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development may be used as an instrument to finance specific research.
At international level, the BPfA, which is backed by the Commission, makes provision for better data collection capacity on gender mainstreaming in developing countries.
Other measures
The Commission will take gender mainstreaming into account in a number of future communications, such as those on demography, the establishment of a system for comparable statistics on crime, victims and criminal justice, and "A European Vision on Gender Equality in Development Cooperation".
It will develop a European Guide of Best Practices on ICT Gender Issues and, in 2006, guidelines on gender mainstreaming in international crisis management training activities, as well as gender mainstreaming manuals for actors involved in the integrated guidelines for growth and jobs and the new streamlined open method of coordination that covers pensions, social inclusion, health and long-term care. The Commission will present a Communication on the gender pay gap in 2007.
A number of events will offer the opportunity to drive the gender equality agenda forward: the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All in 2007; the European Year of Combating Exclusion and Poverty in 2010; and a Euromed Ministerial Conference on gender equality in 2006.
The Commission will establish an EU network of women in economic and political decision-making positions, and a network of gender equality bodies. It will work closely with NGOs and the social partners.
Financing
A new European Institute for Gender Equality, with EUR 50 million of funding, will play a key role in monitoring most of the above actions.
Funding for key actions will come from a multitude of sources, including the future PROGRESS programme, given that gender equality is an aspect that is common to a number of policies.
Fot this reason, the Commission will explore the possibilities of integrating and assessing the impact of the gender perspective in budgeting at EU level.
The Structural Funds, such as the EFF and EAFRD (2007-2013), are a major source of funding. The Structural Funds will also help achieve the Barcelona targets on childcare and the development of other care facilities.
The ESF plays a role in integrating women into the labour market, as well as in the integration of women from third countries into the EU, and in the elimination of stereotypes.
Regulation (EC) No 1922/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on establishing aEuropean Institute for Gender Equality[Official Journal L 403 of 30.12.2006].
Communicationfrom the Commission, of 7 June 2000 - Towards a Community framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005) [COM(2000) 335 final - Not published in the Official Journal].
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