Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on 'Equal opportunities for women and men` (97/C 34/09)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

Having regard to its decision of 2 October 1995 under Article 198c(4) of the Treaty establishing the European Community, to issue an Opinion on Equal Opportunities for men and women, and to attribute the elaboration of this Opinion to Commission 8 (Economic and Social Cohesion, Social Policy and Public Health);

Having regard to the Draft Opinion adopted by Commission 8 on 15 July 1996 (Rapporteur: Mr Papastergiou; Co-Rapporteur of Commission 6 (Education and Training): Mrs McKenna) (CdR 161/96 rev. 2);

Having regard to the Proposal for a Council Decision on the fourth medium-term Community action programme on equal opportunities for women and men (1996-2000) (COM(95) 381 final) () and the Council Decision of 22 December 1995 thereon ();

Having regard to the Proposal for a Council Recommendation (COM(95) 593 final) on the balanced participation of women and men in decision-making;

Having regard to the Commission Communication on incorporating equal opportunities for women and men into all community policies and activities (COM(96) 67 final);

Having regard to the Commission Communication on the interpretation of the Kalanke judgement (COM(96) 88 final);

Having regard to the final resolution of the fifth European Conference of Elected Women Representatives of Local and Regional Authorities, held in Dublin on 6-8 July 1995 - and to the contributions of members of the Committee of elected women representatives of local and regional authorities of the CEMR who participated in the Working Group set up by the Committee of the Regions in order to elaborate this Opinion;

Having regard to the action programme of the autonomous region of Catalonia on equality of opportunity between men and women;

Whereas the Council having already adopted its decision, the COR wishes to focus its comments on implementation and impact at local and regional level to ensure that deeds correspond to words, since the local and regional authorities act as catalysts and as supporting and facilitating bodies, providing women with the necessary preconditions for them to gain access to the labour market and the chance to play a part in society;

Whereas the local and regional level, expressed by the corresponding authorities, meets the conditions of the European Charter of Local Autonomy, because it is closer to the citizen, creates conditions for efficient democracy (a prerequisite for equality of opportunity), strengthens the organization of social services and infrastructures (organizing child care, assistance for old people, social programmes, etc.), and ensures local development and local autonomy since it has considerable influence on the formation of new attitudes of mind towards modern social values and equality of opportunity (programmes in schools, public opinion formation and the setting of good local examples),

adopted the following Opinion unanimously at its 14th Plenary Session, held on 18 and 19 September 1996 (meeting of 19 September).

I. EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY AS A FACTOR IN DEMOCRATIZATION

General Comments

1. The COR underlines that the substantial role played by the Community in improving women's position in society is increasingly evident. Apart from establishing the principle of equal pay (Article 119 of the Treaty) it has essentially strengthened the legal principle of equal treatment in the workplace and in social security matters. Through a large number of directives, resolutions and innovatory initiatives, it has gone a long way towards promoting the most pressing social and political demand of our time, which is for equality of opportunity between women and men.

2. The COR notes that the first three medium-term Community action programmes on equal opportunities for women and men (1982-85, 1986-90 and 1991-95) played an important role in improving the situation of women and promoting social acceptance and cooperation at almost all the levels concerned. Experience with these three earlier programmes is naturally valuable when fine-tuning the fourth medium-term action programme (1996-2000), which is now getting underway.

3. It stresses that inequalities between women and men are still considerable in many areas, especially political, and vary considerably between Member States. This is clear both from the final assessments of the three earlier programmes and from the conclusions of the Fourth Conference of Women in Peking (September 1995).

4. On the basis of the firm declared objectives of the Community to promote moves towards equality of opportunity, culminating in the declaration of the Essen Summit (December 1994) - confirmed at the European Councils of Cannes (June 1995) and Madrid (December 1995) - that equality of opportunity between women and men is the highest duty of the European Union and its Member States, The COR stresses that the obligation of all EU bodies in this matter is self-evident. It is therefore essential for the necessary and appropriate specifications for the success and effectiveness of the Fourth Action Programme (1996-2000) to be defined on the basis of responsibility and knowledge.

5. In order for there to be an effective implementation of equal opportunities for women and men within the EU considerable financial resources are required. Specifically, the amount allowed for the Fourth Action Programme (MECU 30) is a deeply disappointing figure and the Committee of the Regions argues that the European Commission's proposal for a Fourth Action Programme with a budget allocation of ECU 60 million is the minimum level for a satisfactory equal opportunities programme.

The Committee of the Regions is concerned that the current Council budget for the Fourth Action Programme on Equal Opportunities for women and men is insufficient to develop the wide exchange of best practice in a multi-dimensional policy area such as equal opportunities.

6. While the Committee of the Regions accepts that the main responsibility for equal opportunities does not exist at the level of the European Union, it maintains that there is much benefit to be obtained from the exchange of best practice, and the development of transnational innovative projects. More importantly, equal opportunities legislation at a European level is an important requirement for the single market.

7. The Committee of the Regions recognizes and welcomes the important work already done by the European Union in the promotion of equal opportunities but realizes that it is constrained by the present Treaty. The Committee of the Regions notes that the new action programme has been introduced under Article 235 of the present Treaty and feels that some Member States are reluctant to act under this Article. The COR regrets that such an important programme which is related to basic citizenship rights is presented under Article 235 which not only requires unanimity of the Council but only allows for consultation of the EP and no obligatory consultation at all of the COR. The COR maintains that this can only widen the democratic deficit of the EU and it calls for a firmer legal basis enshrining the principle of equality between men and women and equal treatment - following a more transparent and democratic procedure - to be incorporated in the Treaty.

In view of this situation, the Committee of the Regions advocates a change to the Treaty. Article 119 must be rewritten to extend equal opportunities to all areas with explicit reference to positive action for their promotion and to obligatory consultation of the COR. It also supports the call made by the EP in its recent resolution on the IGC of 13.3.96 (Rapporteurs: Dury and Maij-Weggen) for the Treaty to include the principle of equal treatment and non-discrimination regardless, in particular, of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion or handicap.

8. In addition to the Fourth Action Programme, there have been other important recent developments in this policy area. These include the Kalanke judgement which, while ruling that positive action, including flexible quotas, in favour of women was safeguarded, found against purely automatic and 'rigid` quotas for women. The White Paper on Education and Training has important implications for equal opportunities and the Communication on equal opportunities in the Structural Funds is eagerly awaited.

9. The Committee of the Regions attaches great importance to equal opportunities not only because it is a fundamental right in a democratic society, but also because it is a key element in terms of social justice and because the full participation of women in society means that their intelligence, creativity and skills can be effectively channelled into the economic, social and political spheres of life.

10. The COR points out that the six objectives in the Council Decision on the Fourth Action Programme satisfy the requirements for a balanced programme. Consequently, efforts should be coordinated at Community, national, regional and local levels to achieve these objectives, which are:

- to mobilise all the actors in economic and social life;

- to promote equal opportunities in a changing economy;

- to encourage a policy to reconcile family and working life for women and men;

- to promote a gender balance in decision making;

- to make conditions more conducive to exercising equal rights;

- to begin incorporating the dimension of equal opportunities for men and women in all policies and actions (mainstreaming) during the elaboration, application and monitoring of all the policy measures of the EU and its Member States; evaluating the programme.

The COR endorses the Council decision to include equality of opportunity in all the EU's policies and measures. This aim has important consequences for the role of local and regional authorities as regards the promotion of equality in every sphere of activity (transport, education, research etc.).

An attempt to synthesize the best proposals of the various States, and harmonize legislation upwards, would create good prospects of success both for this Fourth Programme and for any other effort the European Union makes in this direction, as the 21st century approaches.

11. The Committee of the Regions notes that these aims have been retained in the Council Decision but deeply regrets that Community actions have been restricted so that the funding of initiatives at a local and regional level has been constrained. This is particularly the case in the mobilisation of all actors in economic and social life.

12. The Committee of the Regions emphasises the important role that is played by local and regional authorities in the promotion of equal opportunities. This role is reflected in the Commission's proposal on the Fourth Action Programme but not in the Council Decision of 22 December 1995. Local and regional authorities are major employers in the European Union, and perform a pivotal role in the education and training function. They also enjoy a number of competences in the economic development, social policy and transport areas where equal opportunities play a leading part. In view of their closeness to the citizen, local and regional authorities play an important role in developing equal opportunities policies and a large number of authorities have developed innovative equal opportunities policies and actions.

13. The COR points out that rapid development on worldwide scale, fuelled by the frenetic speed of technological, social and economic change, as well as the White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment, invite us to search for ways of widening the circle of employment (for women and men) in new types of job ().

14. It stresses that if available employment is not widened, the arguments about its distribution will drag on, social unrest will continue and the aim of equal opportunities for women and men will remain an unfulfilled hope. The consequences are easy to deduce: social unrest, failure to achieve the EU's aims for social and economic integration and worst of all the demographic collapse of Europe - bearing out the characterization of Europe as 'old Europe`, not so much because of its age as because of the average age of its citizens.

II. SPECIFIC PROPOSALS FOR ACTION

1. The mobilisation of all actors in economic and social life

1.1. The first basic measure towards achieving equality of opportunity would be to promote cooperation between the actors involved in economic and social life at Community, national, regional and local levels.

1.2. Support, encouragement and cooperation between main partners are essential factors for combining resources in a cooperative spirit so as to produce a multiplier effect on the basis of experience with local plans. At all events it is felt that hitherto (in the three earlier programmes) local authorities were not sufficiently involved for the local human resources to benefit from equal opportunities. Effective assistance can come from local authorities with their decentralized bodies.

1.3. It would be correct to say that in the field of equal opportunities for women and men adequate cooperation between the regions and municipalities of the Member States could be further developed. Such cooperation is judged to be essential, because the strength of Europe lies in the social, historical, linguistic and cultural diversity of its regions and municipalities, and cooperation at those levels makes a substantial contribution to the further democratization of Europe.

1.4. The establishment and promotion of equality must take place on the basis of a tripartite partnership involving local government within a wide social dialogue involving many levels (women's organizations, organizations for sexual equality, etc.).

1.5. In some regions the greatest inequality is found mainly in primary (agricultural) production yet many regions of Europe present specific characteristics.

The COR therefore welcomes the Commission's recent support for pilot projects for women in rural areas through the Structural Funds.

1.6. In a changing society the major problem and obstacle to the implementation of equal opportunities for women and men lies in the variations in prevailing perceptions and legislation on this issue in the different Member States.

1.7. The COR supports the Commission's emphasis on mainstreaming underlined in its Communication on incorporating equal opportunities for women and men into all Community policies and activities, produced at the instigation of the Group of Commissioners on Equal Opportunities. This concerns not simply making Community programmes accessible to women but mobilising legal instruments, financial resources and the Community's analytical and organizational capacities in order to introduce in all areas the desire to build balanced relationships between women and men.

1.8. The Committee of the Regions believes that this objective is extremely important because it aims to change attitudes in a broad spectrum of economic and social life and is an embodiment of the 'mainstreaming` principle which is one of the aims outlined in the Council's Decision of 22 December 1995.

1.9. The Committee of the Regions is extremely disappointed that many of the initiatives put forward by the European Commission have not been taken up in the Council Decision.

1.10. The Committee of the Regions warmly welcomes the intention to develop further the partnerships at regional and local level. It welcomes the reference in the programme to the contribution that regions make to economic and social policy and the democratisation of Europe. However, the Committee of the Regions wonders why there is no reference to the positive contribution of local government, is concerned that these actions have been omitted by the Social Affairs Council and would ask the Council to reinstate these actions in the programme agreed on 22 December 1995.

1.11. The Committee of the Regions particularly welcomes the use of existing structures and bodies and the growth of regional equal opportunities centres through Article 10 of the European Regional Development Fund. These centres should be created as 'one stop shops` which provide advice and information as well as education and training courses. They offer important points of contact and information for the development of integrated equality projects which are also strongly supported by the COR. The creation of a European network of these centres is also important so that innovation and good practice across the European Union can be developed.

1.12. The intention to select 30-40 integrated projects relating to equal opportunities within the scope of the Fourth Programme is therefore seen as positive. The diversity and range of these projects will help to pinpoint the most successful practices and methods with a view to reducing discrimination in the labour market, promoting the equality of women and adapting local levels to the changing social and economic circumstances so that women are fully integrated and equally involved in social, economic and political life.

1.13. The Committee of the Regions welcomes the funding of integrated equality projects under the 4th Action Programme and stresses the importance of transnational exchanges and the dissemination of good practice.

1.14. The need to change attitudes in education, training, culture and the media is extremely important. The Committee of the Regions welcomes the suggestion to develop new proposals to combat gender stereotyping through the Socrates, Leonardo, and Media programmes. There should be research from the start, in these programmes, on women's lack of confidence, and existing networks should be used.

1.15. The Action Programme also intends to integrate equality in the European Social Dialogue and it contains a specific proposal to develop European networking and exchanges between equal opportunities. The social partners have devised some innovative education and training projects in the field of equal opportunities (see European Social Dialogue: 'Women and Training in Europe - A Compendium of Good Practice`) and the exchange of best practice in this area is extremely important.

1.16. Local and regional authorities have a key role to play in disseminating best practice and exchange of experience though multi-dimensional local and regional networks involving all economic and social actors, education and training establishments, voluntary organizations, women's groups etc and are strategically well placed to link the programme to the specific local and regional economic development and labour market needs, taking into account cultural diversity.

1.17. The creation of a new advisory and administrative committee for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men is a welcome development but the Committee of the Regions strongly advocates the participation of representatives of local and regional government in the committee to join those of the European Commission, Member States, the social partners and non-governmental organisations. In view of the comments about the importance of local and regional government elsewhere in the programme, the inclusion of local and regional government is particularly important. In any case, since the COR believes that local and regional authorities will make a decisive contribution to creating an equal society, it should be represented on these committees.

1.18. One of the important objectives of the Advisory Committee is the identification of sound practice in the integration in employment, the reconciliation of family and working life, participation in decision-making and the exercise of rights. Education and training plays a key role in these areas and should be added to the agenda of the Advisory Committee.

2. The promotion of equality in a changing economy

2.1. In a changing economy, the promotion of equal opportunities for women and men requires that options and policies are integrated at all levels of economic planning.

2.2. In previous programmes the main contribution of the Structural Funds to equal opportunities came from the European Social Fund, especially from the NOW initiative. In the Fourth Community Programme it is essential that the impact of these Structural Funds is both considerable and guaranteed.

2.3. In a changing economy with the spectre of unemployment looming ever larger, it is likely that many of the principles, and even established laws, relating to equal opportunities or equal pay will be circumvented to the detriment of women (work, pay, compensation payments etc.). This necessitates the formation of a legal framework for implementation, meaning that equal opportunities will be applied in practice and some kind of economic penalty will be laid down for those who contravene the accepted Community principles.

2.4. It is therefore essential for there to be a specialized body which would be responsible to the committee set up under Article 9 of the Council Decision, and which over time would reconcile the disparate customs and institutional aspects of the countries involved.

2.5. The Committee of the Regions reminds the European Commission of the important education and training dimension in measures concerning the desegregation of the labour market.

2.6. The action programme states that the Commission has acquired 'some knowledge` of the problems faced by women entrepreneurs through measures to stimulate small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Committee of the Regions would remind the European Union that by the simple fact of their proximity, local and regional authorities play an important role in the economic development of territories, particularly in the development of SMEs, and the European Commission must work in partnership with local and regional government to promote innovative training initiatives for women entrepreneurs.

2.7. The inclusion of equal opportunities for women and men in the relevant Community policies is an integral social and economic factor which should be promoted immediately and with all available means.

2.8. The Committee of the Regions looks forward with anticipation to the Communication on Equal Opportunities and the role of the Structural Funds which is due to be published shortly. The Regional Policy Commissioner has already emphasised the importance of equal opportunities in the review of Objective Two programmes and the Committee of the Regions feels that this could lead to more effective programmes.

2.9. The promotion of equal opportunities between men and women is laid down as a priority underlying all activities under the Structural Funds. Moreover, the Council Resolution of 22 June 1994 emphasized the important role of structural action as a whole and especially the ESF in promoting equal opportunities and called for increased efforts from the Member States and the Commission in this respect.

2.10. The Structural Funds spend around 30 % of the EU budgets and a significant amount of this expenditure comes from the European Social Fund (ESF) for employment and training measures. Under the mainstream ESF there have been measures to train women in occupations where they are under-represented and the NOW (New Opportunities for Women) programme has been integrated into the Community initiative for employment. While these measures are supported by the Committee of the Regions, the monitoring of women's participation across the Structural Funds has to be encouraged and effectively monitored. The commitment in the action programme to develop objective and transparent evaluation procedures is considered to be essential if equal opportunities are to be monitored.

2.11. The COR strongly supports the emphasis given by the Commission in its Communication on 'incorporating equal opportunities for women and men into all Community policies and activities` COM(96) 67 final, to establishing basic indicators and ways of measuring the extent to which the principle of equal opportunities are taken into account in the programming of the Structural Funds and also to producing basic regional statistics (availability of social infrastructure, breakdown of long-term unemployed by sex, female activity rates, proportion of women by socio-professional category) in order to effectively measure trends.

3. Women and men combining work with family life

3.1. It is considered necessary for the family to be involved in the consolidation of equal opportunities because with cooperation it will become clear to the various family members that there is no longer room for traditional roles in employment.

3.2. One radical innovation in this area is the sharing of childcare obligations and responsibility for looking after elderly and dependent family members between women and men. There is therefore unreserved acceptance of the proposal to republish the Code of Good Practice taking account of the experience gained in the implementation to date of previous programmes and the case-law of the Court of Justice which has accumulated in the meanwhile.

3.3. Support mechanisms should be put place to enable people to reconcile family and working life successfully and to remove obstacles to the full integration of women into economic, social and political life. The European Union should provide assistance by establishing social support infrastructures at the local level, for instance through the Structural Funds.

3.4. In connection with the promotion of individual rights, stress must be placed on their individualization. Social infrastructures, with special reference to child care, assistance to the elderly, general insurance, separate taxation etc., are vital for combining the roles of parent and worker.

In the COR's view, local and regional authorities are in a position to make a decisive contribution to ensuring the existence of the social infrastructure and the adoption of new attitudes.

3.5. In this section of the action programme and in the last two Objectives (Gender Balance in Decision Making and the Exercising of Equality Rights) there is an emphasis on legislative proposals and research studies. The Committee of the Regions believes that the education and training dimension in these objectives is also important.

3.6. The programme states that the organisation of European society has not responded to changing patterns of demography, household composition, and family types. Eventually, there will be a new economic and social infrastructure to respond to these changes. The COR points out that attitudinal change is particularly necessary in enabling men to share a caring role in family and household life.

3.7. On 29 March 1996 the Council approved a Directive on Parental Leave, submitted on the basis of a framework agreement between the social partners. It was adopted on 3 June 1996. A Council Recommendation on Childcare was adopted on 31 March 1992. The action programme wishes to set higher standards in childcare and this will have implications for education and training courses in this area. Moreover this will help women and men combine childcaring not only with work but with study and training.

3.8. The need for improved training opportunities is an essential component in the reconciliation of work and family life. In a work environment, where technology leads to rapid change, education and training is often essential after a career break. These education and training projects need to offer flexible patterns of study to allow the full participation of women and men.

4. The promotion of gender balance in decision making

4.1. Urging women and men to participate in decision-making should be pursued in all sectors and particularly in the area of political representation - be it local, regional, national or European - in order to reduce the current democratic deficit. The Citizens' Europe will lack firm foundations if half the population - i.e. women - remain deprived of practical power based on their democratic representation in elected assemblies.

4.2. Indeed, the current situation with regard to women's involvement in all EU bodies at Community, national, regional and local level and in decision-making is discouraging. Any action programme is doomed to failure if there is not a balance between the sexes in practice when it comes to making decisions on equality.

4.3. On the basis of experience acquired under the three previous action programmes or from research taking place in the private and public sectors it is worth highlighting the positive role and the contribution of women to society, including in positions of responsibility in the public and private sectors.

4.4. Appropriate measures should be taken so that the image of the two sexes portrayed by the media does not reinforce traditional stereotypes but rather encourages the development of programmes with a balance between men and women in the decision-making process.

4.5. The Commission's Action Programme suggests that this objective should be progressed by the development of gender balance strategies and the stimulation of research and the exchange of experience. The Committee of the Regions underlines the importance of training programmes in gender balance strategies and would emphasise the need for transnational exchanges to promote innovative strategies.

4.6. The Committee of the Regions broadly welcomes the European Commission Proposal for a Council Recommendation on the balanced participation of women and men in decision-making. In particular, the COR welcomes the call for comprehensive and integrated strategies at Member State level to promote the balanced participation of men and women and the promotion of balance at the local and regional levels of government. The local and regional authorities bear a considerable responsibility for this task in their respective Member States, for which it is essential that all their members are fully trained.

4.7. It is essential to promote a global and integrated strategy by laying down appropriate legal and regulatory measures to ensure a balance between women and men in the centres of power, influence and decision-making.

4.8. The COR notes that in Sweden, government ministers attend equal opportunities training courses and that this training has been extended to Sweden's bishops. Many local and regional authorities in the European Union provide similar training for politicians and staff. The COR hopes that this approach will be adopted in all Member States.

5. Enabling women to exercise their rights

5.1. The safety valve which allows women to exercise their rights is the implementation of Community law. Strengthening the conditions for exercising equal rights is a necessary requirement for the application of the principle of equal opportunities. Seminars and responsible information campaigns, dealing more specifically with the way European Community provisions are applied, must therefore be used to spread awareness about rights relating to equality. The EU must support the creation of transnational networks to facilitate the dissemination of information and the exchange of relevant experience, as is also provided for under Article 10 of the European Regional Development Fund.

5.2. Despite the considerable progress made in raising awareness among EU citizens on equal opportunities, there is still felt to be a lack of information in the field of rights. Every suitable means should be used during implementation of the Fourth Action Programme to systematically publicize the need to enhance the position of women as citizens playing a decisive and responsible role in public life, private enterprise and society as a whole.

5.3. The COR notes that the European Commission wishes to pursue this objective through the enforcement of Community law and by the promotion of the dignity of women and men in the workplace and in society. The COR points out that there is a major educational dimension to this objective enabling women to become aware of their rights.

5.4. The action programme also proposes to develop actions within the framework of the 1996 'European Year of Lifelong Learning` with a view to the diversification of vocational choices for women and men. This is an important task but the Committee of the Regions is concerned about the limited budget of the European Year.

5.5. Moreover, the COR welcomes the Commission's recent intention, following the reserve allocated for Community initiatives on 4 October 1995, to give a boost of ECU 100 million to the NOW initiative.

5.6. Women's entrepreneurship is to be encouraged. But to achieve visible results and tip the scales of equal opportunities there needs to be provision for considerable economic aid to women with loans and business support from organized operators (chambers of commerce, equal opportunity bodies etc.). Women need support and advice from female 'role models`, especially with regard to entrepreneurial spirit. Such support can take various forms, e.g. training, assistance in setting up networks, general guidelines and information on how to find sources of funding and loans, but always on a basis of fair competition.

5.7. Equality at work brings with it the obligation to behave in a proper manner with colleagues and any other person one has dealings with. Sexual harassment at work is a reality which cannot be eradicated through policing measures. A Community instrument should be established to do away with such phenomena. But until there is an effective instrument the various Member States must develop information policies and forms of cooperation with NGOs to promote among working people regardless of sex.

5.8. The COR particularly welcomes the fight against sexual harassment at work in this objective and it is pleased to note that this has been adopted in the Council Decision of 22 December 1995. Training has an important role in this objective so that all employees are aware of the parameters of acceptable behaviour.

5.9. The Committee of the Regions wishes to see the action programme taking an initiative to remove violence in the home which is a source of great fear for some women. The exchange of good practice in campaigns to publicise these problems would be useful, and a particularly good example is the Zero Tolerance Campaign in Scotland.

6. Implementation, monitoring and evaluation

6.1. The respect and encouragement of equal opportunities between men and women are of primary importance in a democratic society, allowing all citizens to participate in economic and social and political life.

6.2. Over the years, many admirable intentions have been expressed about equal opportunities. Moving from good intentions to a robust equal opportunities policy can only be done through effective monitoring and evaluation. It is essential for the European Commission to put these mechanisms in place.

6.3. The successful implementation of equality requires strict monitoring by appropriate bodies (administrators, inspectors, observers) to ensure that the Fourth Action Programme proceeds in a lawful and effective manner. However, provision should be made for fine-tuning in the course of implementing such programmes.

6.4. By the end of the five-year period (in the year 2000) the peoples of the EU must look forward to reaping the benefits of their collective efforts. Finally there must be an overall assessment of the extent to which equal opportunities are established within the EU. This assessment must be based on the specific characteristics applying in the various Member States.

6.5. The COR regrets moreover that the Committee which will assist the Commission, in setting criteria on the monitoring and evaluation of the programme, is represented solely by representatives of Member States. It stresses the importance of including local and regional authorities, as well as the social partners, in such a Committee in order to ensure effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the programme.

7. The importance of education and training in equal opportunities

7.1. It is often difficult to divorce education and training issues from the wider objectives of the programme and, therefore, education and training must be seen as an integral part of the action programme.

7.2. The whole strategy for a smooth transition from the existing situation to one in which there are equal opportunities for women and men must be backed up in education by means of relevant teaching and training courses, using suitable teaching material. An educational policy recognizing the place of women in civil society is essential to modify the traditional perception of the role of women. It is clear that education can reduce inequality between the sexes in the labour market. However, discrimination against women exists within education and training.

7.3. It should be stated that legislation alone cannot bring about equal opportunities and, in this respect, education and training plays an important role. While equality of opportunity in education and training cannot guarantee equal opportunities in society, it can play an enabling role so that women can acquire new skills and new attitudes in society to equal opportunities can be promoted.

7.4. Efforts to do away with gender stereotypes should begin from the first levels of education and should continue throughout life. Training should also be available to counter the inbuilt prejudices of older people. Moreover, the influence of the working environment (in particular within SMEs) is felt to be crucial here.

7.5. The Fourth Action Programme outlines the present situation for the women in the labour market. It states that unemployment rates among women in the European Union continue to be higher than those for men. Eight out of ten part-time workers, seven out of ten family workers, five out of ten temporary employees and six out of ten clerical workers are women.

7.6. Many women are in low-skilled, low-wage jobs in traditionally female-dominated sectors and they are under-represented in significant sectors of the economy and in senior positions in the economy and in public life. Evidence therefore indicates that there is an increasing feminisation of poverty. Despite efforts under EC law, there is still an unacceptable difference in pay levels, on average women's wages are only 70 % that of male earnings. High quality education and training will play a key role in providing women with the skills that will allow their full integration into society.

7.7. Training must be accompanied by support facilities such as employment guidance and counselling. A variety of affordable high-quality childcare facilities are essential if women are to benefit from education and training, and access to other parts of the social security infrastructure has to be improved so that care is available for the elderly and the disabled.

7.8. The provision of quality careers advice in mainstream education is important so that young people are made aware of the full range of careers open to them and stereotyped gender roles are avoided. This advice needs to be extended to parents and guardians so that they also avoid gender stereotyping. Creating expectations is a great challenge, but in giving guidance care must be taken to ensure that young people are not assigned difficult tasks (difficult roles) without support, as this is likely to result in alienation and marginalization.

7.9. The COR reiterates the call it made in its Opinion on the White Paper on education and training for support to be given for careers and study guidance to be available as a continuous service to young people and adults, in particular to avoid gender stereotyping.

7.10. Special attention needs to be given to women who take career breaks because of family or other commitments. In a work environment where technology is changing work practices, particular emphasis needs to be attached to the professional development of women both during their absence from, and when they return to, the labour market.

7.11. The Socrates and Leonardo programmes specifically promote equal opportunities. Equality of opportunity between girls and boys and men and women is emphasised throughout Socrates both as a priority aspect of selection criteria and as a topic for treatment in transnational project activity. The Leonardo programme focuses on promoting equality of opportunity as regards access for men and women to vocational training and their participation therein as a specific objective, in particular so as to open up new areas of work to them and encourage them to return to work after a career break.

7.12. The COR stresses that though these projects can do much to promote equal opportunities, in order to effectively eradicate discrimination and promote the advancement of women in society, entrenched cultural attitudes have to be confronted. The COR stresses, in this respect, the key role of education and training in removing prejudices and promoting positive roles for women.

7.13. The COR stresses the importance of promoting equal opportunities in particular in access to new technologies in education and training, as it pointed out in its Opinion on the White Paper on education and training. Changes in the organization and systems of work, teleworking etc may provide flexibility enabling women to reconcile family and working life more effectively.

8. Conclusions

8.1. The Committee of the Regions welcomes the work done in the past by the European Union in developing equal opportunities policies, but is concerned that the major reductions in the budget by the Council will lead to a programme which has a very limited impact.

8.2. The Committee of the Regions notes that the new action programme has been introduced under Article 235 of the present Treaty and feels that some Member States are reluctant to act under this Article. In view of this situation, the Committee of the Regions advocates a change to the Treaty so that Article 119 is rewritten to exclude discrimination on the grounds of gender, race and disability as well as the active promotion of equal opportunities.

8.3. The Committee of the Regions regrets that the development of regional and local partnerships outlined in the European Commission's programme has not been accepted in the Council Decision of 22 December 1995. The COR feels that these partnerships are at the heart of equal opportunities policies and action at the local and regional level is the most visible way of promoting equal opportunities through information, education and training campaigns. The networking of local and regional partnerships at a European level is a key development to ensure the exchange of experience and innovation, but the COR is disappointed that this action does not appear to have been included in the Council Decision.

8.4. The COR broadly welcomes the intention to introduce an Article 10 programme in the European Regional Development Fund to stimulate regional equal opportunities centres. The COR would emphasise the need for these centres to be 'one-stop shops` that include information, advice, education and training.

8.5. The COR welcomes proposals for integrated equality projects and feels that these projects should be linked to the regional centres mentioned in the previous paragraph.

8.6. The COR stresses the importance of education and training in all the objectives outlined in the Fourth Action Programme and the Council Decision of 22 December 1995. Education and training is particularly important because although it cannot guarantee equality of opportunity in society, it can play an enabling role so that women can acquire new skills and new attitudes in society can facilitate their participation in decision-making procedures.

8.7. The COR stresses that training must be accompanied by support facilities such as employment guidance and counselling. A variety of affordable high-quality childcare facilities are essential if women are to benefit from education and training, and access to other parts of the social infrastructures has to be improved so that care is available for the elderly and the disabled.

8.8. The Committee of the Regions would like to stress the importance of equal opportunities in the structural funds. This is particularly important because these funds account for around 30 % of the EU budget and the COR eagerly awaits the planned communication from the European Commission on equal opportunities and the structural funds.

8.9. The Committee of the Regions reminds the Council and the European Commission that equal opportunities policies must be accompanied by careful monitoring and evaluation to ensure effective implementation.

Brussels, 19 September 1996.

The Chairman of the Committee of the Regions

Pasqual MARAGALL i MIRA

() OJ No C 306, 17. 11. 1995, p. 2.

() OJ No L 335, 30. 12. 1995, p. 37.

() See document on job creation published by the EU in October 1995. An annual growth rate of 2,5 % is required for the rate of unemployment to stay the same. If the annual growth rate is 3 %, unemployment will be reduced only to 8 % by the year 2000.