SECOND COUNCIL RESOLUTION of 24 July 1986 on the promotion of equal opportunities for women (86/C 203/02)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,Having regard to the Treaties establishing the European Communities,Having regard to the draft resolution submitted by the Commission (1),Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3),Whereas, in order to promote equal opportunities for women, various measures have been taken at Community level, in particular the adoption by the Council of Directive 75/117/EEC of 10 February 1975 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the application of the principle of equal pay for men and women (4), Directive 75/207/EEC of 9 February 1976 on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions (5) and Directive 79/7/EEC of 19 December 1978 on the progressive implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women in matters of social security (6);Whereas these Community legal instruments constitute the basis needed for the development of Community action;Whereas the 1982 to 1985 action programme and the commitments entered into in that connection, in particular the Council resolution of 12 July 1982 concerning the promotion of equal opportunities for women (7), the Council resolution of 7 June 1984 on action to combat unemployment amongst women (8) and the Council recommendation of 13 December 1984 on the promotion of positive action for women (9) and those adopted in certain related areas (10), constitute positive contributions to the promotion of equal opportunities;Whereas, however, inequality persists and seems likely to increase in the present economic climate;Whereas efforts already under way must be intensified and developed with a view to achieving genuine equality, so that women can approach social, technological and occupational change on an equal footing with men;Whereas the European Parliament has frequently urged the need for a comprehensive and wide-ranging policy to promote equal opportunities for women;Whereas it should be noted with approval that the Commission firmly believes that the programme's objective of realizing in practice equal opportunities in economic, social and cultural life can and should be achieved without imposing any unreasonable burden on the economy and undertakings;Considering the conclusions of the European Council of 2 and 3 December 1985 on the matter,1. Points to the Directives, recommendations, resolutions and other instruments adopted concerning the promotion of equal opportunities for women;2. Recalls the proposals for Directives already submittet by the Commission, and agrees to continue its efforts to seek solutions to the problems involved;3. Confirms the need to develop and intensify action at Community and national level through a systematic and coherent wide-ranging policy designed to eliminate de facto inequalities, whatever the economic situation, and to promote genuine equality for opportunity;4. Supports the broad outlines of the Commission communication concerning a new medium-term programme on equal opportunities for women (1986 to 1990) and supports that programme's objective of realizing in practice equal opportunities in economic, social and cultural life; reiterates in this context, the importance of promoting job creation;5. Calls on the Member States to take appropriate action on the basis of, inter alia, the elements of the Commission communication referred to in point 4 of this resolution and in particular to:- ensure effective application of existing equaltreatment legislation, particularly through the systematic provision of information, the development of suitable mechanisms to carry through and prepare provisions on equal treatment, and the examination of all aspects of the problems relating to the establishment of proof in this regard,- develop comprehensive and coordinated action in the fields of education and training in order to create a better balance between men and women in the various types of teaching establishment and to widen career choices to include sectors and trades of the future, in particular those concerned with new technologies, enterprise creation and self-employed occupations, in accordance with the resolution of 3 June 1985,- adopt adequate measures to increase the number of women in jobs linked to the introduction of new technologies, with a view to promoting desegregation and as a response to the resulting changes,- develop and intensify specific action promoting the employment of women and, in particular, support local initiatives and adopt measures to ensure that women have equal opportunities to set up businesses, particularly cooperatives, as well as measures to support self-employed women, including those working in agriculture,- adopt a more systematic policy to promote the presence of both sexes in employment at all levels, particularly through the development of positive action in all fields, the revision of protective legislation which is no longer justified and the search for specific solutions for the most disadvantaged categories,- review social-protection and social-security provisions, taking into account the changing place of women in employment,- develop measures to encourage the sharing of family and career responsibilities through measures to increase awareness and steps to adapt and reorganize working time, with due regard for the responsibilities of both sides of industry, development of the social infrastructure, particularly child-minding facilities, and of adequate solutions for groups and persons who particularly need them,- launch or encourage at all appropriate levels systematic and wide-ranging information and awareness campaigns to highlight the positive aspects of equality, thereby promoting a change in attitudes, especially through the media and by targeting a variety of groups, in order to reach all participants in political, social, occupational and educational life, particularly women themselves,- encourage both sides of industry to take steps to secure effective equality of opportunity and efficacy of positive measures at the workplace,- actively promote greater participation by women in the public and private sectors, particularly in posts for responsibility, and in decision-making bodies;6. Will continue to promote consistency between specific measures to promote equal opportunities and overall economic and social policy at both Community and national level and instructs the Commission to keep a check on the consistency of its measures at Community level while encouraging positive action to help women within the limits of the means available and avoiding any measure which might discourage women from joining the job market;7. Agrees to develop more systematic cooperation on Member States' policies and actions on equal treatment, and instructs the Commission to organize such cooperation with all bodies concerned, such as national authorities, equal-treatment bodies and committees, both sides of industry;8. Requests the Commission to prepare a progress report and an assessment of the implementation of this programme by 1 January 1991 and accordingly invites the Member States to forward the necessary information to the Commission before 1 January 1990. (1) OJ No C 356, 31. 12. 1985, p. 28.

(2) Opinion delivered on 13 May 1986 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

(3) Opinion delivered on 24 April 1986 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

(4) OJ No L 45, 19. 2. 1976, p. 19.

(5) OJ No L 39, 14. 1. 1976, p. 40.

(6) OJ No L 6, 10. 1. 1979, p. 24.

(7) OJ No C 186, 21. 17. 1982, p. 3.

(8) OJ No C 161, 21. 6. 1984, p. 4.

(9) OJ No L 331, 19. 12. 1984, p. 34.

(10) Particularly: - Council resolution of 2 June 1983 concerning vocational training measures relating to new information technologies (OJ No C 166, 25. 6. 1983, p. 1),- Council resolution of 11 July 1983 concerning vocational training policies in the European Community in the 1980s (OJ No C 193, 20. 7. 1983, p. 2),- Resolution of the Council and the Ministers for Education meeting within the Council of 19 September 1983 on measures relating to the introduction of new information technology in education (OJ No C 256, 24. 9. 1983, p. 1),- Council resolution of 23 January 1984 on the promotion of employment for young people (OJ No C 29, 4. 2. 1984, p. 1),- Resolution of the Council and the Ministers for Education meeting within the Council of 3 June 1985 containing an action programme on equal opportunities for girls and boys in education (OJ No C 166, 5. 7. 1985, p. 1).