WRITTEN QUESTION E-1735/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(14 June 2001)

Subject: Equal participation by men and women in the decision-making process

In Sicily, some of the lists of candidates standing in the Regional Council elections to be held on 24 June 2001 do not include any female candidates. This contravenes the rule in force in Sicily, pursuant to which at least one-third of the candidates on each list must be male and one-third female.

In view of the many statements which have been made on the subject of equal opportunities for men and women as regards participation in power structures and the decision-making process (Council resolution of 27 March 1995 and European Parliament resolution of 2 March 2000), would the Commission answer the following questions:

1. Is the Commission aware of what is going on in Sicily?

2. Has the Commission already prepared a report on the relevant action taken, as requested by the Council and the European Parliament?

3. What means at EU level can the Commission suggest as a way of countering infringements (even in principle) of the rules on equal opportunities for both sexes, in whatever field such infringements occur?

4. Has the Commission ever asked the Member States to establish a better balance between the sexes in public and private decision-making bodies throughout the EU?

5. What does the Commission think of the possibility whereby individuals or associations would be able to refer such infringements to the Court of Justice?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(3. September 2001)

1. The Commission is concerned to learn of the absence of female candidates in Sicily.

2. The Commission has presented a Report to the Council, the Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee on the implementation of Council Recommendation 96/694 of 2 December 1996 on the balanced participation of women and men in the decision-making process(1).

The Report sets out examples of action and policies undertaken by the Member States to increase the participation of women in decision-making at all levels. The Report also gives statistics on the position of women in decision-making, at local, regional, national and Community level.

The conclusions of the Report were that the 1996 Council recommendation did not match expectations. The persistent under-representation of women in all areas of decision-making marks a fundamental democratic deficit, which requires further Community level action. However, no one strategy was singled out for recommendation. Rather a comprehensive approach is necessary: long-term political commitment, sound data, regular monitoring, appropriate structures and the commitment of financial resources.

3. In October 1999, the Finnish Presidency drew up a set of nine indicators for measuring the progress of women's participation in political decision-making, at national, regional and local level and in key administrations. On 27-28 November 2000 the Council took note of the Presidency's report and in its agreed conclusions the Council encouraged the Member States to make statistics available on the proposed indicators on an annual basis.

The promotion of women in decision-making in all fields of society has been a core objective of the Community Action Programmes for equal opportunities for women and men since 1991.

Equal participation and representation of women and men is one of the core objectives of the strategy. The actions envisaged by the Commission under the framework strategy on gender equality 2001-2005 focus on work to promote women in political, economic and social decision-making, including activities in external relations and development co-operation.

4. In Recommendation 96/694, the Council recommends that Member States, inter alia, adopt a comprehensive, integrated strategy designed to promote balanced participation of women and men in the decision-making process and develop or introduce the appropriate measures to achieve this, such as, where necessary, legislative and/or regulatory measures and/or incentives.

5. At present, gender balance in decision-making does not fall within the competence of the Court of Justice. Accordingly, there is no basis on which an individual might seek to have the issue arising in Sicily brought before the Court.

(1) COM(2000) 120 final.