It is one of slower growth, stagnation and then decline. Our employment growth of the next decades is hugely dependent on increased participation of women. That increase is essential to meeting the demands of the intergenerational contract, from schooling and healthcare, to pensions and training. The commitments made by the Summit on equal opportunities, to tackle discrimination, and to look at flanking policies, are, therefore, very significant. They represent the first time the Heads of State have given an explicit personal commitment to present concrete initiatives, and have their action plans scrutinised by their peers, and by the European Institutions.
Work is well under way on the next steps in our collaborative work.
Member States have already undertaken to submit their action plans by 15 April. We have embarked on a series of national seminars, with the Member States, to help shape the national action plans which will provide the substance of the new process. We have already convened seminars in partnership with many of the Member States. The rest take place this month. A first Commission report on the Member States' action plans will be discussed at the Cardiff European Council in June.