Equal opportunities for women and men in the European Union - Annual report 1997
Date: 1998-05-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: activity report, equal pay, equal treatment, gender equality, social policy

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels,  13.05.1998 
COM(1998) 302  final 

Equal  Opportunities  for Women 
and Men in the European  Union 

Annual  Report 1997 

(presented by the Commission) 

CONTENTS 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

SECTION 1  MAINSTREAMING EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES 

SECTION 2  WOMEN AND MEN IN THE LABOUR MARKET 

SECTION3  UVING AND WORKING IN EUROPE-THE CARE AGENDA 

1 

7 

10 

13 

SECTION 4  PROMOTING A GENDER BALANCE IN DECISION-MAKING 

15 

SECTION 5  EQUALITY RIGHTS-PROGRESS IN 1997 

18 

SECTION 6  FOLLOW-UP TO THE BEIJING PLATFORM FOR ACTION 

20 

d 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

This  Annual  Report  on  Equal  Opportunities 
for Women and Men in the European Union pre 
sents  an  overview  of  the  main  developments 
which have had an impact on equal  opportunities 
at Community and at national level during  1997. 
While  important  issues  arose  across  a  range  of 
areas,  three  developments  deserve  to be particu 
larly highlighted: 

•  the Amsterdam  Treaty  was agreed  with  new 

powers relating to equal  opportunities; 

0  the  Member  States  joindy  decided  to  put in 
place a new  employment  strategy, for immedi 
ate implementation,  in which equal opportuni 
ties is an explicit  and important  component; 

•  progress was  made in integrating  equal  oppor 
tunities for women  and men  into  other  policy 
areas, building on the commitments  as regards 
mainstreaming. 

Equal  Opportunities 
in  the Amsterdam Treaty 

1997  saw  the  adoption  of  the  Amsterdam 
Treaty.  In  1998 the process of ratification  com 
mences.  This  Treaty  has confirmed  the  impor 
tance  of  equal  opportunities  in  the  European 
integration project and has opened up new possi 
bilities  for  advancement.  Equality  between 
women  and  men has  always  been  a  founding 
principle  of  the successive  Treaties  and is  con 
firmed  as such  in the new Article  2  of the new 
Treaty.  Article  3  assigns  to the Community the 
duty  to  eliminate  inequalities  and  to  promote 
equality in all its activities - this is the underpin 
ning  that  is  needed  to  advance  further  on the 
mainstreaming strategy. 

New Article  13 will  permit  appropriate  action 
to combat all discrimination, including discrimi 
nation  based on sex and sexual  orientation. 

Article  141  extends  the scope  of  the  former 
Article  119  and  gives  equality  of  treatment 
between  women  and men a specific  legal  base. 
This  provision  deals with  key aspects  relating to 
employment and occupation. It also confirms the 
- ,ght  of Member  States  to  take  measures  provi 
ng  for specific  advantages  in order  to make it 
cider  for the under-represented  sex to pursue a 
vocational  activity  or to  prevent  or  compensate 
for disadvantages in professional  careers.' 

The  Commission  considers  that  these  aspects 
of the new Treaty are to be welcomed,  particular 
ly because they raise the status of the principle of 
equal  treatment  and secure  the basis  for  future 
initiatives on a number of fronts. 

New Employment Strategy 

In  November  1997, there  was agreement  by 
Heads of States and Governments  at the special 
Jobs Summit in Luxembourg to a new  European 
employment  strategy.  The  Summit  recognised 
that the position of women on the labour market 
merits particular attention. 

It is partly by achieving a higher  participation 
rate  or  women  in  the  labour  market  that  the 
European  Union  can  contribute  in  a  decisive 
marîër to the employment growth that it needs to 
secure  its  future,  maintain  its  prosperity  and 
social  systems.  The Jobs  Summit  recognised  at 
the highest level that equality of opportunity is a 
matter of economic  interest. 

The  establishment  of  the  new  employment 
strategy means that progress on equal  opportuni 
ties in the labour market will be scrutinised at the 
highest  level every year from  now on. 

Subsequently, in December  1997,  the Council 

adopted  employment guidelines for 1998. 

These  guidelines set out targets and objectives 
in  four  areas:  entrepreneurship,  employability, 
adaptability  in  the labour  force  and workplace 
and equal opportunities. 

The Member States will submit action plans by 
April  1998  in which  they  detail  the action  they 
are  taking  to  implement  the  guidelines.  The 
European Council will carry out a first  review in 
Cardiff  in June  1998. A joint  evaluation  of the 
plans will be undertaken by the Commission and 
the  Council  for  consideration  at  the  Vienna 
Summit  in  December  1998  by  the  Heads  of 
States and Governments. 

Mainstreaming 

Mainstreaming - the strategy of integrating  the 
equal opportunity dimension into all major poli 
cy areas - saw significant progress during  1997. 

'Article 141 of the future EC Treaty incorporates and extends 
Article 6§3 of the  Social Protocol. 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

EQUALITY PROVISIONS  IN  THE AMSTERDAM  TREATY 

Article F 
The Union is founded on the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule 
of law, principles which are common to the Member States. 

Article 2 

The Community shall.. promote...  a high level of Employment and social protection,  equality between men and women,  the 
raising of the standard of living and quality of life, and economic and social cohesion and solidarity among Member States. 

Article 3 

In all activities referred to in this Article, the Community shall aim to eliminate inequalities, and to promote equality between 
women and men. 

Article 13 

...the Council, acting unanimously on a proposal from the Commission and after consulting the European Parliament,  may 
take appropriate action to combat discrimination based on sex,  racial or ethnic origin,  religion or belief disability age or sex 
ual orientation. 

Article 137 
Wtth a view to achieving the objectives afArticle 117',  the Community shall support and complement the activities of the 
Member States in the following fields: 

improvement in particular of the working environment to protect workers* health and safety; 
working conditions; 
the information and consultation of workers; 
the integration of persons excluded from the labour market, without prejudice to Article 127; 
equality between men and women with regard to labour market opportunities and treatment at work 

Article  Hi 

/. Each Member State shall ensure that the principle of equal pay for male and female workers for equal work or work of equal 
value is applied. 

2,  For the purpose of this Article, "pay" means the ordinary basic or minimum wage or salary and any other consideration, 
whether in cash or in kind, which the worker receives directly or indirectly  in respect of his employment, from his employer. 
Equal pay without discrimination based on sex means: 
(a) that pay for the same work at piece rates shall be calculated en the basis of the same unit of measurement; 
(b) that pay for work at time rates shall be the same for the seme job, 

3  The Council,  acting in accordance with Use procedure referred to in Article 25L  and after consulting the Ecvmmic and 
Social Committee,  shall adept measures to emure the application of the principle ofequal opportunities and squal treatment 
of men and women in matters of employment and occupation,  including the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of 
equal value. 

4. Wnh a view to ensuring full equality in practice between men and women in working life,  the principle of equal treatment 
shall not prevent any Member State from maintaining or adopting measures providing for specific advantages in order to make 
it easier far  the underrepresented sex to pursue a vocational activity or to prevent or compensate for disadvantages in profes 
sional careen. 

* Article 117 incorporates Article 1 of the Agreement on Social Policy which was amended into the Treaty. It aims to promote employment and 
iinprove jiving and working conditions. 

The dearest and best example of mainstream-
ing  is  the  placing  of equal  opportunities  at the 
heart of employment strategy. 

Within the Commission, structures have been 
put  in place to help ensure that equality can be 
taken  into  account  in  the framing of European 
Union policies generally. 

In  1997,  29  Commission  services  designated 
officials  to  hold  specific  responsibility  for facili 
tating  and  encouraging  the  development  of 
mainstreaming  in  their  Directorates-General. 
These officials  act as a support structure for the 
task in their respective services and they exchange 
ideas and experiences across services on a regular 
basis. 

The  Structural  Funds  are  the  Unions  main 
funding  mechanism  for  the  promotion  of eco 
nomic  and social  cohesion. The  Council,  in its 
Resolution1  on  the  Structural  Funds  and equal 
opportunities  for  women  and  men  adopted  in 
1996, had argued that Structural Funds have an 
important role to play in supporting equal oppor 
tunities - a role that merited being strengthened. 

The  Commission  has  taken  this  view  very 
much  into  account  in  1997  in  its  preparatory 
work leading to the tabling of proposals in 1998 
for reform of the Structural Funds. 

A strengthened commitment to the active pro 
motion  of  equality  of  opportunity  across  the 
entire  range of  the  Structural  Funds will  be an 
important element of the mainstreaming strategy. 

In  the  context  of  the  Community's  develop 
ment co-operation policies, the Commission pre 
sented a proposal for a Council regulation on the 
integration  of gender  issues in development  co 
operation.  The  proposal,  currently discussed  in 
the  European  Parliament  and  in  the  Council, 
aims at supporting the adoption of a gender-sen 
sitive approach in the conception and implemen 
tation  of  Community  development  policies  as 
well as in their monitoring and evaluation. 

Conclusion 

These are the principle strands in the develop 
ment  of  equal  opportunities  in  the  European 
Union during 1997. The importance in each case 
lies less in the concrete achievements or benefits 
delivered during  1997 and more in their poten 
tial for future developments. 

The  real  significance  of  1997  will  become 
dearer  as  the  Union  comes  to  implement  the 
Amsterdam Treaty after ratification; as the year-
on-year  employment  process  takes  root;  and as 

the logic of mainstreaming is brought to bear in 
ever widening field of policy areas. 

. 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

'  Council Resolution on  mainstreaming equal opportunities 
for  women and men into die European Structural Funds of 
2.12.1996, OJ C 386 of 20.12.1996. 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

1998 EMPLOYMENT  POLICIES 
FOUR PILLARS AND  NINETEEN  GUIDELINES 

Z. IMPROVING EMPLOYABILÎTY 
T - ^ k l l ag  7"OJ-tb  u n e m p l o y m e nt  a nd  preventing  long-term  u n e m p l o y m e nt 
The  fvïerr.bar States wil! ensure that: 
i. zvzr? 'jncrnpicyed young person is offered  a new start before reaching six months of unemployment; 
2.  unemployed adults are also offered  a fresh start before reaching twelve months of unemployment. 

Transition  from  passive  measures  to  active  measures 

3. Each Member State will endeavour to increase significantly the number of persons benefiting from active measures 
to  improve  their  employabiKty, and fix a  target of gradually achieving the average of the three  most  successful 
Member States, and of at least 20%. 

E a c o i i r a g mg  a  p a r t n e r s h ip  a p p r o a ch 

4.  ilv- social partners are urged to conclude agreements with a view to increasing the possibilities for training, work 

experience, trajneeships or other measures likely to promote empioyabiKty. 

5. The Member States and the social partners will endeavour to develop possibilities for lifelong training. 

£asing the transition from  school to work 
The Member States will: 
6. improve the quality of their school systems in order to reduce substantially the number of young people who drop 

out of the school system early; 

7. make sure they equip young people with greater ability to adapt to echnological and economic changes and with 
skills re'evam to îhe labour market, where appropriate hy implementing or developing apprenticeship training. 

II.  DEVELOPING SNTREPRENEUESHÏP 
f l a i l i ng  h  easier  to  start  up  and  r un  businesses 

The  Member Stares win; 

8. %wt particular attention; tx> reducing significantly rha overhead costs and administrative hardens for businesses, and 

especially omall and mcdîiun-sized cn&xprâes, in particular when hiring additional workers; 

9. encourage tb-s development of self-erapbyment by txaminutg, with «he aim of seducing, any cbst&dss which  mzy 
exist, especially rhuss within tax and social secum-y regimes» to moving so selE>empbyrnetfw and the setting up of 
small businesses, in particular for employed persons. 

Exploiting the opportunities for job  creation 
10. The Member States will investigate measures to exploit fully the possibilities offered by }cb creation at local level 
in the social economy and itr. new activities linked to needs not yet satisfied by the market, and arcamincwith the 
aim of reducing, any obstacles in the way of such measures. 

'•'••'  Making t he  tastfâqn  system  mors  employ a e at  friendly 

The Member States will; 
11. set a target, If necessary, and taking account of te; prisant level, for gradually reducing the overall tax burden and, 
where appropriate, a target  for gradually  reducing  die fiscal pressure on labour and nojvv/agc  labour  costs, in 
particular ort relatively unskilled and low-paid labour, 

JEXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

12. examine, without obligation, the advisability of reducing the rate of VAT on labour-intensive services not exposed 

to cross-border competition» 

III. ENCOURAGING ADAPTABILITY IN BUSINESSES 
AND THEIR EMPLOYEES 
Modernising work organisation 
13. The social partners are invited to negotiate, at the appropriate levels, in particular at sectoral and enterprise levels, 
agreements to modernise the organisation of work, including flexible working arrangements, with the aim of 
making undertakings, productive and competitive and achieving the required balance between flexibility and 
security. 

14. Each Member State will examine the possibility of incorporating in its law more adaptable types of contract, taking 
into account the fact that forms of employment are increasingly diverse. Those working under contracts of this 
kind should at the Same time enjoy adequate security and higher occupational status, compatible with the needs 
of business. 

Support  adaptability  in  enterprises 

15. The Member States will re-examine the obstacles, in particular tax obstacles, to investment in human resources 
and possibly provide for tax or other incentives for the development of in-housc training; they will also examine 
any new regulations to make sure they will contribute to reducing barriers to employment and helping the labour 
market adapt to structural change in the economy. 

IV. STRENGTHENING THE POLICIES FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES 
Tackling  gender  gaps 

16. The Member States w£! attempt to reduce the gap in unemployment rates between women and mm  by actively 
supporting the mcreased employment of women and will cet to rc/erse the under-representaticn of women In 
certain economic sectors and occupations and their over-representation in others. 

Reconciling w o rk  s nd  lamiiy  life • 

17. The Member States will stove to raise levels of care provision where some r*eeds are not met. 

Facilitatmg return t© work 
1B. The Member States will give specific attention to women, and men» considering a return eo tba p ld  workforce 
after an absence and, to that end, they will examine the means of gradually eliminating the obstacle in the way of 
such return. 

Promoting the Integration of people with disabilities into working life 
19. The Member States will give special attention to the problems people with disabilities may encounter  m 

participating m working life. 

iTwmws 

The  Commission  has  embarked  on  a  main-
streaming policy with  the aim  of integrating  the 
equal  opportunity  dimension  into  all  major 
Community  policies  and  actions. This  commit 
ment  was  signalled  by  the  adoption  of  a 
Communication4 in February 1996. A concept of 
mainstreaming was developed  during  the Fourth 
UN  World  Conference/'  Mainstreaming 
demands  a  more  comprehensive  approach  to 
equality. 

A change in attitudes is occurring in relation to 
the  promotion  of  equal  opportunities  and  the 
development  cf  a  gender  perspective  in  policies 
and  programmes  at  the  level  of  Member  States, 
the  European  Union  level,  and  in  international 
fora  and debates. 

***«w*w*w*3e»we**ewi'i^**«M9»^ 

The  dm  of die mainstreaming;:p6Îicy is to 
improve  the^tjiiality^af  policies;-andavoid 
unintended ^  n 2g^tIM;
;i:  ^^poms^mces^ 
Monitoring • gender; tmmM§mf ;;ail;;-;ec$icies 
. mus"  :ce '. d e ^ ^ e d^ .ilir^ 
policies  that "ace ^aœmo»!yl^^iarejd;::as 

:

Wrthin  the  Union,  the  significance  of  and 
meaning attributed  to  mainstreaming has varied 
from  context  to  context.  The  ways  in  which  it 
has  been  applied  have  depended  on,  amongst 
other factors,  die level of development of equali 
ty policy in  the different  Member Stages and  the 
level  of  knowledge  and  openness  to  change  on 
the  part  of  relevant  actors.  Despite  considerable 
progress, a number  of barriers and  shortcomings 
are apparent. To overcome die barriers a number 
of measures are needed. These include awareness-
raising, large-scale training to develop the neces 
sary  gender  expertise,  regular  gender  impact 
assessment  of  policies  and  gender  proofing  to 
guarantee the quality of legislative proposals and 
other policy documents. 

At  European  level 

In  1997, the existing smaauiss for the promo 
tion  of  equal  opwiîimkias  in  the  European 

MAINSTREAM1NG EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES 

Commission policies and activities, the Group of 
Commissioners  on  Equal  Opportunities,  the 
inter-service group  on Equal Opportunities, and 
the  sub-group  on  Equal  Opportunities  in  the 
Structural  Funds  have  been  supplemented  by a 
broad-bassd  'Group  of  gender  mainstreaming 
officiais'. 

the 

The mainstreaming strategy was also endorsed 
by  a  Resolution  of  the  European  Parliament'' 
rv. mmission  Communication  on 
on 
Mainstreaming adopted in September  1997. The 
European  Parliament calls on the Member States 
to implement a policy on mainstreaming in their 
local, regional, and national policies. 

A  Guide  to  gender  impact  assessment7  of 
Commission  policies and activities has been pro 
duced for this purpose. A first report on activities 
and  measures  to  achieve  the  mainstreaming  of 
equal  opportunities  has  been  in  preparation 
throughout  1997." The report shows widespread 

Commitment at the very highest level is an 
essential criterion for success to set in place 
the mobilisation  of the mainstream actors, 
the  allocation  of  clear  responsibilities  and 
the  application  of  tools  and  instruments, 
such  as  gende*1  impact  assessment  of 
policies,  gender  proofing  procedures  and 
monitoring  and  evaluation  of  progress. 
Mainstreaming 
is  a  complementary 
approach  to  «pccîfic  measures  of  positive 
action,  tii;  inrertflon  being  to  widen  the 
scope  and  impact  of  equal,  opportunities. 
This dual approach is essential  ht  success. 
As ri>.e number of rtiâinstreaming initiatives 
grow  -  in  a  rangs  of  organisations  and 
sectors  -  and  pecsnes'more  complex, the 
dereanc  for  practical  tools  to  improve 
effectiveness  and  measure  .progress  also 
increases. Monkciing gjen.de; differences iu 
becoming 
the 
to 
effectiveness  of policies. 

assessing 

ctucirJ 

* COM(96) 67 final of 21.2.1996. 
'  Fourth  UN World Conference on Women, Beijing, Chins, 

4-15 September, 1995. 

front 

the  Commission 

the  Communication 

'  European  Parliament  Women's  Righs  Committee.  Report 
• 
on 
Incorporating equal opportunities for women and men into 
all Community policies and activities. Reporter Mrs Angels 
Kokkola, EP 222.553 of 17.9.1997. 
TThe 'Guide to Gender Impact A^c^mtnt'  was screed  is sn 
informai  working document of the Commission services by 
the Group of gender mainstreaming Officials at their second 
meeting of  15 September  1997. 

•COM(98)  12?. final  of 4.3.1998.  Progress Report  from  the 
Commission  on  the  follow-up  of  the  Communication 
'Incorporating equal opportunities for women and men into 
all Community policies and activities'. 

£_  7 

MAINSTREAMING EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES 

activities and a very marked progress over a short 
period  of time. The  Report will be published  in 
1998. 

Some specific examples of Community policies 

include: 

Structural Funds 

The  Structural  Funds are the Unions  primary 
instruments  for  the  achievement  of  economic 
and  social  cohesion.  Since  the  1996  Report  on 
Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in the 
European  Union  was  published,  many  calls  for 
projects  and  propositions have had  the objective 
of,  directly  or  indirectly  -  promoting  equal 
opportunities  and  contributing  to  the  labour 
market  integration  of  women.  These  included: 
rural development' projects under Article 8 of the 
European Agricultural  Guidance  and  Guarantee 
Fund  (EAGGF),  pilot  projects  also  taken  up 
under the EAGGF,10 pilot projects of interregional 
co-operation  of 
the  European  Regional 
Development Fund (ERDF) ana support to local 
employment  initiatives"  under  the  European 
Social  Fund(ESF).  Interventions  under  the 
Initiative  programme  Urban12 
Community 
included actions in favour of equal opportunities. 

The most important Community initiative for 
the  promotion  of  equal  opportunities,  the 
EMPLOYMENT-NOW (1995-1997)'3 initiative 
continues  to  encourage  innovation  and  theme 
groups  between  projects  have  been  established. 
Vertical  and  horizontal  desegregation  remain  as 
priorities of the second phase (1997-1999). 

Assessments have been  carried  out  to measure 
the  impact  of the  Structural  Funds  on  the pro 
motion  of  equal  opportunities,  for  instance,  in 
Finland, Ireland, Spain and Portugal. They show 
that equal opportunities  is not sumciendy taken 
into  account  in  the programming processes and 
in  the  evaluation  of  impacts.  In  the  future  it is 
proposed to build on lessons learned and to inte 
grate equality measures into the mainstream pro 
grammes of the Structural Funds. 

in 

the  AGENDA 

Reform  of the Structural  Funds has also been 
announced 
2000 
Communication.14  It  should  involve  reinforcing 
the human resources and equality components in 
all  of  the  objectives  of  the  Structural  Funds. A 
new  system  of  Community  initiatives  is  en 
visaged. 

Education and  Training policies 

Respect  for  equal  opportunities  between 
women  and  men 
the 
SOCRATES  (education)  and  YOUTH  FOR 

is  provided  for 

in 

8 

EUROPE (youth exchanges outside schools) pro 
grammes and also constitutes a specific  objective 
in  the  LEONARDO  DA  VINCI  programme 
(training) which provides for positive action mea 
sures in addition to mainstreaming. Equality was 
a cross-cutting, transversal issue for the European 
Year of  Lifelong  Learning  and  Training  (1996), 
and  the  opportunities  for  positive  action  were 
stressed  in  all  the  implementation  documents. 
The  White  Paper  'Teaching  and  Learning  -
towards  the  learning  society'  states  the  impor 
tance  of  guidance  on  careers  and  courses  and 
access  to  education  and  training,  especially  in 
technological  sectors for  women. More  recently, 
the  Report  of  the  Commission  on  Access  to 
Continuous  Education  in  the  Union'"  analysed 
the  measures  undertaken  by  Member  States  in 
favour  of  women,  especially  women  threatened 
with  unemployment,  unemployed  women  and 
women  in  the process of labour  market  integra 
tion. 

Social dialogue 

The  reinforcement  of  the  role  of  the  social 
partners and the underpinning of the co-ordina 
tion and follow-up of key themes in employment 
policies  are  referred  to  in  the  draft  Amsterdam 
Treaty. The integration of the Social Protocol into 
the Treaty itself is an important step forward. The 
consequences of all these changes are crucial  for 
European  citizens. They  will  open  the  way  for 
improvements in the field of equal opportunities 
for women and men. 

The  social  partners'  contribution  to  the  pro 
motion of equal opportunities was highlighted in 
the 1996 Annual Report. In its Communication16 
on  the  development  of  the  social  dialogue,  the 
Commission  has  underlined  the  importance  of 
this  contribution  to  social  policy  generally,  but 
also  at  the  level  of  sectoral  policies. The  Social 
Protocol  has  provided  a  model  for  European 
agreements reached by social partners on subjects 
direcdy or  indirecdy linked  to equal  opportuni 
ties. In a number or cases, the intervention of the 
social  partners  has  made  it  possible  to  include 
clauses relating  to  equal  opportunities  or  to  the 

•OJC 284 of 27.9.1997. 
'• OJ C 326 of 31.10.1996, OJ C 125 of 22.4.1997. OJ S 43 

of  1.3.1997. 

"OJC 323 of 29.10.1996. 
"OJC 38 of 10.2.1996. 
"OJC 327 of 29.12.1990. 
M For a stronger  and  wider  Europe.  COM(97)  2000 final. 

Supplement 5/97-Bull European Union. 

" COM(97)  180 final of 30.4.1997. 
'* COM(96) 448 final of  18.9.1996. 

TŒAMING EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES 

MAINSTREAMING 
IN  THE MEMBER STATES 

A number of Member  States have attemp 
ted to introduce a mainstreaming approach 
to high levels of decision-making. 

In Sweden, the Minister of Labour  is enti-
ded  to scrutinise proposals with a view to 
incorporating a gender perspective into all 
policies. 

In  Spain,  the  governing  council  of  the 
Instituto de la Mujer  has been enlarged to 
include  a  wider 
field  of  activities. 
Collaboration  between  the  Instituto de la 
Mujer, and  the  Instituto  Nacional  de 
Empleo  has  resulted  in  the  inclusion  of 
equal opportunities in training for officials 
carrying  out  the  Plan  for  Integrated 
Employment Services. 

The Federal Ministry of Women's Affairs in 
Germany has developed a gender perspec 
tive  which  takes  die  form  of  a  right  to 
examine  proposed  legislation  at  an  early 
stage. 

In  the Netherlands,  selected  policy  plans 
from  the  Ministry  of Education,  Culture 
and Science and proposed  legislation from 
the  Ministry  of  Foreign  Affairs  and the 
Ministry of Justice are considered for their 
gender  impact.  A  specific  procedure  has 
been developed to assess the gender  effects 
of policies. 

In  Greece,  the  General  Secretariat  for 
Equality has been reorganised with the aim 
of strengthening  its communications  with 
government departments, regional equality 
offices and NGOs. 

reconciliation  of work and family  life in sectoral 
or local agreements. 

Hewlett-Packard Ltd at Boblingen in Germany 
provides an example of good practice. It operates 
a  system  of employee  reinstatement  following a 
break  fcr  family  leave  which  goes  beyond  the 
legaî  limits  of parental  leave.  British  Gas in the 
UK,17  has  developed  a  range  of  provisions 
family 
to  assist  employees  with 
designed 
responsibilities tc develop their skills and further 
their careers. The provisions are incorporated in a 
nation-wide  agreement. 

Policies on external relations 
or external  trade and  development 
co-operation 

Gender  analysis  is  being  integrated  in  all 
planning  procedures  of  the  developing  partner 
countries. This implies a shift away from women-
specific  interventions  to  a  consideration  of 
gender in all development policies and projects. 

In  relation  to  the  co-operation  with  ACP 
countries,  the  Commission  published  a  Green 
Paper on the ideas, concerns and methods for the 
period  post  Lomé'  after  2000  in  December 
1996.  This  paper  and 
the  subsequent 
Communication  to  the  Council  in  December 
19971" contain  important  references to gender as 
a  key  issue  for  economic  growth,  social 
develpment  and respect  for  human  rights. The 
Lomé  Convention  has been  the  main  form  of 
development  cooperation  between the European 
Union  and  70  African,  Caribbean  and  Pacific 
States since 1975. 

Besides  the  assessment,  through  a  detailed 
progress report in the form of a Commission staff 
working paper,  of the  implementation  in 1996-
1997  of  the  1995  Council  Resolution  on 
integrating  gender  issues  in  development  co 
operation,  the Commission  has adopted  in June 
1997 a proposal for a Council Regulation on this 
matter.  Once  adopted,  this  Regulation  will 
provide the legal framework  for the management 
of Community financial assistance and provision 
of 
the 
mainstreaming  of  the  gender  perspective  in all 
the  Community's  development  co-operation 
policies and interventions. 

expertise 

technical 

support 

to 

The  Communication  of  the  Council  'The 
Trading System and Internationnaly  Recognised 
Labout  Standards'"  places  equal  opportunities 
among core standards to be supported. 

"  Cited in 'Equal Opportunities and Collective Bargaining in 
Europe',  Vol.  1,  Luxembourg:  Office  for  Official 
Publications of die European Communities. 

» COM(95) 423 final of 18.9.1995. 
"  COM(96) 402/4. 

9 

WOMEN AND MEN IN THE LABOUR MARKET 

SECTION 2 

WOMEN AND MEN 
IN  THE LABOUR 
MARKET 

The Guidelines for employment 
policies in  1998:  a step forward 
for promoting  equality 

The situation of employment in Europe led the 
European  Council  to  agree  a  new  chapter  on 
employment  in  the Treaty. The  Guidelines pro 
posed by the Commission  provided a framework 
for  discussion  at  the  extraordinary  European 
Council  on  employment  in  Luxembourg  in 
November  1997. The  Guidelines  were  adopted 
by  a Resolution of the Council on  15 December 
1997. This was a crucial step forward in inserting 
the  equality  dimension  at  the  heart  of employ 
ment policy. Equality is now one of the priorities 
which  should  underpin  national  employment 
policies. In the multi-annual  programmes of the 
Member  States  under  the  Essen  process, prede 
cessor  to  the  new  employment  strategy,  policies 
to promote equality between women and men on 
the labour market have not been strongly visible 
to date. 

An equality gap remains in the labour market. 
The  unemployment  rate  of  women  in  the 

European Union  is higher  than that  of men (12 
per cent as compared with 9 per cent). 

Statistics on the structure of earnings in the 15 
Member  States  were  gathered  during  1997 and 
are  currently  being  studied  by  Eurostat.  First 
results of analysis of the data  for  Spain,  France, 
Sweden  and  the  UK  reveal a continuing  gender 
difference  in earnings between women and men; 
a  pattern  likely  to  be  observed  throughout  the 
Member States. 

Average hours  of work  have fallen  in  Europe. 
This is particularly true in the case of women in 
employment.  An 
increasing  proportion  of 
women  are  working  part  time  or  encaged  in 
weekend,  morning  or  evening  work.  Although 
there  has  been  an  increase  in  the  number  of 
women  and  men  at  work,  the  growth  in  the 
employment  rate  has  not  been  matched  by  a 
growth  in  the  volume  of  working  time  (labour 
input). 

New policies to desegregate the labour  market 
are  needed  which  bear  on  both  supply  and 
demand  factors.  Activities  to  promote  labour 
market  desegregation  often  consist  of  isolated 
and  dispersed  actions  without  a  programmatic 
framework and which fail to achieve a substantial 
impact. 

Some of these issues are being addressed  in the 
EMPLOYMENT-NOW  initiative.  The  second 
phase  priorities  (1997-1999)  include  tackling 
vertical  desegregation,  by  training  women  for 
senior  management,  and  horizontal  desegrega 
tion  in  non-traditional  sectors  of  employment. 
For  example,  computer  maintenance  jobs  are 
associated  with  technical  work  and  have a male 

UNEMPLOYMENT  RATES OF WOMEN AND  MEN  (15-64YEARS) 
IN  THE  EUROPEAN  UNION,  1996  (%) 

WOMEN 

MEN 

100 

80 

60 

40 

20 

B  DK  D  GR 

IRL 

I 

NL 

SOURCE:  EUROSTAT 

10 

image. A training association  in  Paris, supported 
by  NOW.  has  developed  a  technician  training 
programme  with  a mainstreaming strategy. This 
team, based  on  an action-research  study, will try 
to  raise  the  awareness  of  employment  and  gui 
dance counsellors of the wide range of occupations 
in new technologies for both women and men. 

New  organisation  of  work 

The employment guidelines refer to policies on 
career  breaks, parental  leave and  part-time work 
as being of particular  importance to women and 
men. 

Progress  in  women's  employment  has  often 
been  linked  with  the  development  of  part-time 
work. This  development  presents  both  opportu-

ln a dynamic and expanding labour market, 
new gender gaps and gender discrimination 
are  appearing.  The  Commission,  with  its 
partners,  will  build  on  efforts  already 
undertaken  to  improve  contractual  status 
and  to  enhance  protection  of  so-called 
'non-standard  employment'. There is a risk 
that  women's  employment  is  further  con 
centrated  in  sectors  where  they  may  be 
over-represented  (sectors such as household 
services  or  personal  care),  thus  reinforcing 
sex segregation  in  the  labour  market. This 
development  makes  essential  the  formula 
tion  of  a policy  on  equal  opportunities  in 
these sectors. 

WOMEN AND MEN IN THE LABOUR MARKET 

nities  and  risks.  On  the  one  hand,  part-time 
employment  is  very  often  associated  with  low 
professional  status, lack of job security and lower 
pay than  that  earned  by full-time  workers what 
ever their status. 

On  the other  hand,  development  of part-time 
work  may  offer  new  opportunities.  In  many 
cases, they make it possible for women  to return 
to  the  workforce  after  a  prolonged  absence;  in 
others, part-time employment can be an  effective 
way of combining work with family life. 

Member  States,  such  as  the  Netherlands  and 
Belgium,  encourage  flexibility  while  trying  to 
ensure all social rights of part-time workers. 

The Commission  has examined these issues in 
its  Green  Paper 
'Partnership  for  a  new 
organisation of work,'20 and is currently assessing 
the  reactions of  interested  parties with a view to 
establishing  how  best  to  modernise  the  legal, 
contractual  and  policy  framework.  Breaking 
down  traditional  gender  roles  is  an  important 
aspect of the task. 

in 

In 

parallel, 

its  Communication, 
'Modernising and Improving Social Protection in 
the European Union,'21 the Commission empha 
sises the importance of adapting social protection 
so that  it supports and  encourages  employment, 
in  particular,  by  maintaining  a balance  between 
flexibility  and security. 

10 COM(97)  128 final of  16.4.1997. 
21 COM(97)  102 final of  12.3.1997. 

PART-TIME  EMPLOYMENT  OF WOMEN AND  MEN AS A SHARE OF TOTAL EMPLOYMENT 
IN  THE  EUROPEAN  UNION  AND  IN  ICELAND AND  NORWAY  (%),  1996 

WOMEN 

MEN 

100 

80 

60 

40 

20 

jJiJjJ 

D  GR 

E 

F 

I RL 

I 

L 

NL 

A 

J P  FIN  S  UK 

0  J . . _J 
DK 
B 

SOURCE:  EUROSTAT, STATISTICS  IN Focus N"8,  1997. 
NOTE:  D  -  LFS  1995,  N  -  1995,  IS =  1995. 

EU 

IS  N 

// 

WOMEN AND MEN IN THE LABOUR MARKET 

This  is  particularly  relevant  for  part-time 

workers. 

In April 1996, the Commission issued a formal 
consultation  paper  on  'flexibility,  working  time 
and security for employees', which focused on the 
need  to ensure  the principle  of  non-discrimina 
tion for workers involved in newer flexible  forms 
of work. Women  account  for  a significant  pro 
portion  of  workers  involved  in  such  forms  of 
non-standard'  employment.  In  response  to  this 
consultation, the European social partner organi 
sations (UNICE, CEEP and ETUC)  announced 
their  intention  to start  negotiations on  this sub 
ject, concentrating initially on part-time work. 

Thus,  in  May  1997,  the  social  partners 
reached an agreement on this aspect of the issue. 
This  framework  agreement  on  part-time  work 
recognises the necessity to put an end to discrimi 
nation against part-time workers and to improve 
their  working  conditions,  while  making  the 
development  of  part-time  work  easier.  The 
Council  adopted  a Directive  97/8122  in  Decem 
ber  1997  which  embodies  this  agreement 
in law.23 

The adoption of this Directive is a recognition 
that part-time work is an increasingly important 
element  in the labour  market. It  is of enormous 
importance for equal opportunities given that 83 
per  cent  of  part-time  workers  are women. The 
Directive  aims  at  underpinning  the  ability  of 
women  and  men  to  exercise a degree  of choice 
over their hours of work, choosing to work part-
time,  for  example,  when  family  circumstances 
demand or during the run-up to retirement. 

The Commissions consultation document also 
raised questions concerning temporary and fixed-
term  contract  work.  As  a  next  step,  UNICE, 
to  the 
CEEP  and  ETUC  have  indicated 
Commission  that  they are prepared  to negotiate 
on  the subject  of fixed-term  contract  to supple 
ment the earlier agreement on part-time work. 

SMEs Women and enterprises 

In the Resolution on Growth and Employment 
in  July  1997,  the 
adopted  at  Amsterdam 
European Council emphasised that special atten 
tion should be paid to the potential for small and 
medium sized companies to create jobs. 

New  sectors  are  appearing  with  a  strong 
potential for job creation, and the Guidelines for 
1998  Employment  policies  underline  that  all 
of 
possible 
new 
innovations  must  be 
technologies 
exploited  effectively.  New  sources  of  jobs  are 
orten  in  the services  and  the care sector, where 

sources 
and 

jobs 

and 

12 

women  have the  greatest  opportunities  to  enter 
or  return  to  the labour  market. The  use of new 
technologies provide new possibilités to women, 
for example, in rural areas. 

Women are less likely than men to create busi 
nesses24 and when they do, the companies tend to 
be small. Women encounter a range of problems, 
especially  when  it  comes  to  securing  finance. 
These issues were raised in the programme of the 
Third  European  Conference  of Craft  and  Small 
Businesses held in Milan in November  1997. The 
third multi-annual programme concerning enter 
prise  policy  and  especially  small  and  medium 
sized  companies  (1997-2000)  explicitly  referred 
to women entrepreneurs in its call for proposals." 
The  1996  Report  of  the  European  Observatory 
for  SMEs26  includes  a  chapter  on  women  in 
SMEs. It underlines the role played by women in 
SMEs  and  analyses  the  specific  difficulties 
encountered by women entrepreneurs. The cxpe 
rience  acquired  through  the  EMPLOYMENT-
NOW initiative (half of the projects concern cre 
ation  of  enterprises  by  women)  will  help  the 
Commission  to  develop  further  actions  in  diis 
field. 

Several Member States have taken steps to deal 
with  these  difficulties:  in  Finland  and  Sweden, 
for example, women entrepreneurs are supported 
with  a  special  entrepreneur's  loan.  Portugal 
provides  specific  support,  technical  assistance 
structure  and  a  network  of  national  and 
international  co-operation. 

The development of women's entreprencurship 
will be an important component of the employ 
ment process and of the new Objective  3 of the 
Structural Funds. 

During  199727  the  Commission  organised 
round  table  discussions  which  brought  to  light 
the need to increase the visibility and recognition 
of assisting spouses. The  discussions were atten 
ded  by  MEPs,  representative  organisations  and 
experts. They  highlighted  the  need  to  develop 

M Council  Directive  of  15.12.1997. OJ  L  14 of  20.1.1998, 

p.9. 

u  A draft Directive extending the scope to the UK will be pro 

posed in  1998. (Legal base: An. 100). 

*  Preparatory documents for the OECD conference  "Women, 
entrepreneurs in small §£ medium enterprises, a major  force 
in innovation and job creation", Paris,  16-18 avril 1997. 
u  Cal! for proposals: Assistants tc craft  companies and smsil 

enterprises, OJ C  117 of  15.4.1997. 

M European  Observatory  for  SMEs,  Fourth  Annual  Report, 

July 1996. 

wThe  fust  was held or» 7  February  1997, the second  on  23 

and 24 June 1997. 

training  programmes  corresponding  to  actual 
needs and to improve the representation  of assis 
ting spouses. This  is an  important  dimension  of 
the  general  policy  issue around  setting  up small 
family  businesses  and  the  move  from  employ 
ment  to self-employment  of family members. 

In  the  light  of  the  conclusions  drawn,  the 
Commission will propose  a number of actions. 

Individualisation  of rights 

The  individualisation  of  rights  in  relation  to 
social  security  is  potentially  an  important  issue 
from  an  equal  opportunities  perspective.  No 
Member  State  has  a  completely  individualised 
system of social security. They all relate - at least 
in some respects - social protection and tax assess 
ment  to  the  specific  famiiy  situation,  by  giving 
so-called derived rights. 

rate  pensions 

With  regard  to  pensions,  for  example,  the 
impact  of  dependant  adult  supplements  and 
household 
is  considerable, 
particularly  in  Belgium  and  Ireland.  Survivors 
and orphans pensions exjst in all Member States, 
except in Belgium  (orphans pension).  Denmark, 
Finland,  Spain  and  Sweden  have systems  which 
are  not  individualised  but  take  less  account  of 
although 
different 
survivors pensions exist. At  the other  end  of the 
scale, there are systems, as in France and Belgium, 
where the different  household situations are very 
much taken into account.28 

situations, 

household 

The Commission  has financed a study on  the 
individualisation  of social security rights and  the 
possible  alternatives  in  order  to  adapt  social 
protection  to  changes  in  working  life  and  in 
family  structure  and  has  also  subsidised  a 
seminar2*  on  individualisation  of  rights  in 
October  1997,  which  afforded  Member  States 
experts  an  opportunity  to  examine  in  greater 
depth what moving  towards individualised rights 
might  mean.  More work is planned  in that  area. 
Adapting social protection to changing needs will 
be  one  of  the  themes  for  analysis,  debates  and 
action  among the  Member  States, the European 
institutions, the social partners, within the social 
dialogue and at the  1998 European Social Policy 
Forum. 

LMNG AND WORKING IN EUROPE - THE C\R£ AGENDA 

SECTION 3 

LIVING AND 
WORKING IN EUROPE 
-  THE CARE AGENDA 

The issue of reconciling work with household30 
life  is  at  the  centre  of  major  social  change, 
namely,  changes in  the organisation  of work,  in 
demographic  patterns,  in  the  restructuring  of 
social protection,  in attitudes  towards social and 
economic  dependency,  in  the  distribution  of 
caring work between women and men, and in the 
provision  of  services  between  the  public  and 
private  sectors.  A  care  agenda  has  appeared  in 
Europe, wider than the debate about childcarc. It 
concerns the future  of the family,  the care of the 
elderly  and  infirm  and  the  role  of  men  in 
contributing  to care work. 

Across Europe the following  trends 
are present: 

•  Demand  for  early childhood services. The pro 
portion of children aged three years old in nur 
sery  schools  is  over  90  per  cent  in  Belgium, 
France, and Italy.31 

•  Data in the European  Union  indicates that  10 
per  cent  of  households33 are  composed  of just 
one person. The upward trend  towards the for 
mation  of  single  person  households  presents 
new challenges for  the provision of services. 

•  With  the ageing of the population,  new needs 
are  appearing.  The  burden  of  caring  for  the 
elderly  predominantly carried  out  by women, 
is now added to their responsibilities for  child-
care.  The  European  Community  Household 
Panel Survey shows that, in  1994,9 per cent of 
women  working  for  at  least  30  hours  z  week 
undertake up to 4 hours per day of work caring 

"  DULBEA, Individualisation of Social and Fiscal Rights and 
zqual  Opportunities  between  Women  and  Men,  UL3, 
Brussels, 1997. 

35 Individualisation  of  rights,  social  security  and  equality 
between  women  and  mer;,  Commission,  Univeraiîy  of 
Nanterre, 9-11 October  1997. 

x  À orivate household is one where one, two or more  persons 

share a common dwelling. 

*' Eurydice Unit, European Coramiiaba. 
H  Euraseat, Population and Social Conditions,  1996, N* 5. 

13 

LIVING AND WORKING IN EUROPE  THE CARE AGENDA 

for  a  dependent  person  after  they  leave  their 
job.'3 

leave to the UK was adopted  by the Council  on 
15 December 1997. 

The Commission has responded by supporting 
projects,  studies,  networking,  co-ordinating dis 
cussions and inviting consultation on these large-
scale trends and changes.* 

Through,  for  example,  the  Medium  Term 
Community  Action  Programme  on  Equal 
Opportunities  for  Women  and  Men  (1996-
2000),  a  project  has  been  launched  in  Siena,35 
Italy,  by  the  amministrazione  provinciale.  A 
local 
broad  partnership  of 
is 
authorities, 
promoting  a method  for  analysing  the  personal 
service  sector  and  its  contribution 
to  the 
combining  of working and family life. 

trade  unions  and  NGOs, 

regional  and 

The  EMPLOYMENT-NOW  initiative  has 
developed  programmes  combining  training  and 
care,  and  the  Structural  Funds  have,  in  several 
cases,  undertaken  care  provisions  to  facilitate 
training and returning to work. 

In  the  1998  Employment  Guidelines  the 
Council  considers  reconciling  work  and  family 
life  and 
facilitating  return  to  work  after  an 
absence  (often  for  the  education  of young chil 
dren) as a key issue to developing employment in 
Europe.  Member  States  are  invited  to  strive  to 
raise the level of care provision. 

The  Commission  groups  of  experts  'Gender 
and employment' and 'Equality rights' are jointly 
making an inventor)' of the  provisions of care for 
children  and  all  dependent  persons  in  the  15 
Member  States,  Iceland  and  Norway.  They  are 
also  assessing  the  impact  of  the  availability  and 
the lack of care services on women's employment. 
This work will be fed into a meeting of European 
Ministers  responsible  for  equal  opportunities  to 
be held  under  the  UK  Presidency  in  Belfast  in 
May 1998. 

Recent legal developments are outlined below. 

Parental Leave 

The  Council  Directive  96/34/EC  of  3  June 
1996"' on parental leave allows for the minimum 
provision of three months (unpaid) leave for both 
male and female employees on the birth or adop 
tion of a child, to be taken at any time before the 
child reaches the age of eight. 

The  Directive  was  adopted  under  the  Social 
Protocol  and  initially  applied  to  only  14 of  the 
Member  States.  Following  the  agreement  in 
Amsterdam  to end  the UK opt-cut  to  the social 
protocol,  a  draft  Directive  extending  parental 

14 

The  Directive on  Parental  Leave is an  impor 
tant element of the series of integrated and com 
plementary  measures needed  to  meet  the obiec 
tive  of  reconciling  work  and  household  life. 
During  1997, the  Commission  reviewed studies 
and  measures  being  implemented  in  the  15 
Member States. 

Evidence  from  the  Commissions  own  moni 
toring during 1997 and the OECD (1995)" con 
firms that  there are considerable  methodological 
problems  in  assessing  the  proportion  of women 
and  men  who  are  taking  advantage  of  parental 
leave entitlements across the Member Slates. 

Nevertheless,  existing  trends  show  parental 
leave is primarily  used by women.  In  Denmark, 
where there is a tradition of parental leave, 90 per 
cent of beneficiaries  are women.'*1 

Pregnancy and  maternity 

The  Council  Directive  on  pregnant  workers 
92/85w  adopted  in  1992  under  Article  118a 
establishes  a  framework  for  the  introduction  of 
measures to encourage improvements in the safe 
ty and  health  at  work  of  pregnant  workers  and 
workers who have recently given birth or who arc 
breastfeeding. Article  14 (4) of the Directive pro 
vides  for  Member  States  to  report  to  the 
Commission  on  the practical  implementation  ot 
the Directive, including the views of both sides ot 
industry.  On  the  basis  of  the  information  pro 
vided, the Commission is currently preparing this 
report. 

As  foreseen  in  Article  3  of  the  Directive,  the 
Commission  continued  preparing  a  guidance 
document  on  the  assessment  of  the  chemical, 
physical  and  biological  agents  and  industrial 
processes considered  hazardous  for  the  safety  or 
health  of  these  workers.  The  Commission  has 
been  assisted  in  this  task  by  the  Advisory 
Committee  on  Safety,  Hygiene and  Health  pro 
tection at work, and  the final text will be drawn 

u  Kurosrat, Statistics  in  Focus,  1997, No. 5. 
•"Demographic  Report,  COM(97)  361  final  ot  9,/.|')')7; 
Modernising  ami  Improving  Social  Protection 
the 
European  Union,  COM(97)  102  final  of  U J . I W /; 
Partnership  lor  a  New  Organisation  of  Work,  COM{97) 
128. 

in 

"Project  Labour  'learn,  Amministta/.ionc  Pruvimiair  di 

Siena,  Italy. 

* OJ  I.  145 of  19.6.1996,  p.4. 
,7 O E C D,  Employment  Outlook,  Paris, July  1995. 
w  Communication  from  Ligesritlhigsradet,  Denmark,  i997 
" OJ  L 348  of  28.11.1992,  p. 1. 

•_ Member Scares in ih. 

'L<$tt&£&re 

IK February  1998, the Commission adopted a 
report  on  the  implementation  of  the  1992 
Council  Recommendation  on  childcare.40  The 
Report was prepared subsequent  to analysis du 
ring  1997  of  Member  States  responses  to  a 
Commission  questionnaire.  The  report  reaf 
firmed  the central role of childcare provisions in 
reconciling  work  and  family  life  across  the 
European  Union.  The 
the 
Recommendation  has  been  to  stimulate  debate 
on  the care issue. The  role of  the workplace  in 
ensuring family-friendly  policies has come to the 
fore  during 
the 
Recommendation,  as  has  the  role  of  private 
organisations.  The  position  of  family  day-care 
(childminding) figures less frequendy in replies of 
the Member States. 

success  of 

following 

years 

the 

The  1998  employment  guidelines  state  that 
there must be adequate provision of good quality 
care for children and other dependants in order 
to  support  women's  and  men's  entry  and 
continued  participation  in  the  labour  market. 
Establishing  a  framework  for  the  diversity  of 
policies  to  respond  to  the  demands  of  both 
childcare and dependent care will be part of the 
care agenda of the future. The Commission will 
support the Member States in this regard and will 
monitor progress made during  1998 in order to 
prepare 1999 guidelines. 

Other  initiatives 

Almost  all  Member  States have embarked  on 
one  or  more  initiatives  designed  to  explore  or 
promote  the harmonisation  of work and  family 
life during 1997.4' 

An overview of these measures shows the con 

siderable heterogeneity of approach. 

Belgium,  Spain,  Portugal  and  France  have 
supported  studies  on  parental  leave  or  on  the 
ideas implied by reconciliation. Italy and Austria 
have tried to raise awareness through conferences, 
or publicity campaigns to encourage reflection on 
the  division  of  care  work  within  couples.  A 
number of Member States have drafted proposals 
(Italy) or amended their legislation to increase the 
insurance  value 
scope  (Denmark)  or  the 
(Germany) of maternity and parental leave. 

Diversify  ,, -•;  ~\±!iA. or:. »„ .;•"• '}..;. gt-vvr, h -LS 
rer-ei't  thîîdcare  pro;h~.•'.-n  ht  ûv:  Merr.-r... 
Stares.  In  sevcrr!  r.-j.,s.nr.«v  Starter. cjv.:r*tzy 
means a rrxige of services to mua*  etc dif 
ferent: working patterns of patents and the 
needs of non-employed  parents.  For other 
Member States, the $<z&i>dk for diversity has 
been reflected in developing îypes of child 
care  which  match  the  diffèrent  needs  of 
children and respond to their development 
at difrerem ages, 

Ireland and the UK.  Portugal has been conduc 
ting  an enquiry into the situation of workers who 
are  also  caring  for  an  elderly  person  in  their 
home. 

Austria,  the  Netherlands,  Denmark  and 
Finland  have  widened  the  scope  of  existing 
campaigns to include men in measures for better 
combining  work  and  family 
life,  or  are 
monitoring men's readiness to use leave schemes 
and other social provisions. 

SECTION 4 

PROMOTING 
A GENDER BALANCE 
IN DECISION-MAKING 

Over the last two decades, a visible trend has 
been emerging which extends the focus of equal 
opportunities beyond the labour market. Crucial 
to this development has been the recognition that 
women's  under-representation  in  decision-ma* 
king positions presents a formidable barrier for the 
democratic development of the European Union, 
its cohesion and its global competitiveness. 

Women are widely under-represented  in deci 
sion-making  positions  including  those  in  the 
political  sphere. The  situation  has  significantly 
improved since recent (1997) elections that took 
place in several Member States of the European 

Employers  and Trade Unions  are involved  m 
the  development  of  innovative  measures  in 

* COM(98) of 4.2.1998. 
15 £m«cted from Advisory Committee qucstioniuire  replies 

1997. 

15 

*.ap»*«T*iwt*?'<i 

*--f*«ep**i*mfrtH***e.fym&B 

^'WWWStafcS 

PROMOTING A GENDER BALANCE IN DECISION-MAKING 

Union; however, the gap remains substantial. The 
various  strategies  to  reach  a  critical  mass  of 
women  in decision-making posts were described 
in  the  1996  Annual  Report.  The  visible  and 
strategic presence of women in the public sphere, 
including  the  political  sphere,  is a  precondition 
for  their  promotion  and  rise to  decision-making 
posts in other spheres. 

by 2.5 percentage points  (from  16.tS to  19.3 po 
cent). 

Women's  participation  at  a  regional  level  is 
much higher than it is at national  level, in  1997 
women's  participation  was 23.2  per  cent  in  the 
regional  governments.  Between  1996 and  1997, 
it rose from  25.1 to 26.6 in regional parliaments. 

The participation of women in national parlia 
ments  in  the  European  Union  increased  overall 
by  2.3  percentage  points  between  the  reference 
dates of  1996 and  1997  (from  14.8 to  17.1 per 
cent). 

Recent  elections  have  brought  some 
improvement  in  relation  to  the  number of 
women  in  political  decision-making.  A 
Eurobarometer survey42 found an increasing 
willingness among Europeans to accept the 
idea  of  women  rising  to  posts  of political 
responsibility.  Despite  this  trend,  women 
remain  proportionally better represented in 
government  posts  than  in  assemblies elec 
ted  by  direct  ballot. They  also  fare  better 
when  elections  are  by  proportional  ballot. 
The  positive  value  of  integrating  women 
into  elected  positions  has  still  to  be  fully 
recognised. 

The  Council  Recommendation  on 

the 
Balanced  Participation  of  Women  and  Men  in 
Decision-Making43  expresses 
for 
integrated  action  in  order  to  address  the gender 
imbalance  in  decision-making  in  the  European 
Union. As such,  it  complements  initiatives  that 
have  been  taken  at  international  and  national 
levels. 

the  need 

It calls on  Member  States to  develop  an  inte 
grated  strategy to  promote  a balanced  participa 
tion  of  women  and  men  in  decision-making 
authorities.  During  1999,  the  Commission  will 
prepare  a first  report  on  the  implementation  of 
the 1996 Council Recommendation  for the three 
year period since its adoption. 

The  Committee  on  Women's  Rights  in  the' 
European  Parliament  produced  two  significant 
reports on women  in decision-making positions. 
The  first  report44  set  out  a clear  analysis  of  the 

The representation of women in government is 
frequently  higher than their share in their respec 
tive  national  assemblies.  Between  1996  and 
1997, women's share in governmental  posts rose 

1 Européennes,  Européens: A dunces  égaies?  Eurob.uomcR"' 
44.3  Opinion  Poll.  March-April  ll>%.  1')%  Repot t. 
1 Oj  L 319 of  10.12.10%,  p . U. 
' European  Parliament  Women's  Rights  Committee,  sub-
mimed  by Jessica  Uirive  EP, 20S.6W>/fui.  lv>v>-4. 

IftimdftméN  OF'woMâfcAi  Tdt  NAÇÙHIAI 

mmMfàNmN'tÊ&jQ^ 
MEMBER ST«|p&, IWÎHE EUROPE At* PARU ÀMËNT Alfe  K^L/^i^^v';*\^fcr,x'':V.V 
'^'% 

NORVW AN#tl£CH¥£NST£M (%) 199$ AND 1997 

'.'*'. '-;!' J*'-:-*'•"?* 

51996 
1997 

l OO 

80 

60 

40 

20 

B  D K*  D  GR  E  F 

I RL 

I 

L  NL  A  P  F I N S **  UK  E U 15 

M 

EP 

FL 

IS  N 

SOURCE:  DATA  FOR  1996  FROM  THE  EUROPEAN  EXPERTS  NETWORK  IN  DECISION-MAKING.  DATA  FOR  1997 

FROM  FRAUENCOMPUTERZENTRUM  BERLIN.  NOTE:  *  EXCLUDES  4  MEMBERS  ELECTED  IN  GREENLAND  AND 

FAROE  ISLANDS.  **  PARLIAMENT  INCLUDES  15  SUBSTITUTES  FOR  MINISTERS. 

16 

PROMOTING A GENDER BALANCE IN DECISION-MAKING 

barriers to decision-making as well as proposing 
specific measures which help raise both the quan 
tity  and  quality  of  women's  representation  in 
decision-making. The  second  report45  called  for 
an integrated strategy to improve women's repre 
sentation in decision-making. 

The  Committee  of  the  Regions46 stressed  the 
importance  of  the  shift  in  public  discussion 
regarding  women  in  decision-making  asserting 
that  there  is  increasing  support  for  the  aim  of 
achieving a balanced participation of women and 
men in the nominations of representatives in the 
Committee by the Member States. 

The  Commission,  for  its  part,  provided 
Member States and other concerned bodies with 
a  practical  tool  for  the  promotion  of  a  better 
gender  balance.  The  guide  'How  to  Create  a 
Gender Balance in Political Decision-Making',47 
published  in  1997,  provides  a  means  to  put 
political  will  into  action  with  a  view  to 
empowering  women  by  way  of  suggesting 
concrete strategies and policies. The guide offers 
specific  recommendations  to  governments, 
political  parties  and  women's  organisations  for 
increasing  the  number  of  women  in  political 
decision-making. 

The  Commission  also  supported  research on 
women's participation in areas that do not neces 
sarily belong to the political sphere, namely in the 
areas of health, justice, finance and education41. 
In addition, it conducted a comprehensive study 
that mapped and assessed  the research that had 
been done on women in political, economic and 
social  decision-making  in  the  15  European 
Union countries, Norway and the institutions of 
the  European  Union49.  The  results  of  these 
empirically-oriented  studies  provided  the  basis 
for transposing the political commitments made 
by the Member States of the European Union in 
the  Beijing  Platform  for  Action,  the  Council 
Recommendation and the 1996 Charter of Rome 
into  effective  strategies  for  the  promodon  of a 
better gender balance. 

The  Commission  launched  a  Third  Action 
Programme for Equal Opportunities for Women 
and  Men  among  its  own  personnel  (1997-
2000).w This programme sets out  an integrated 
strategy  aimed  at  improving  the  balance in  the 
representation of women and men at the various 
levels in the institution, and at developing a gen 
der-sensitive work culture. This strategy is based 
on the dual approach of mainstreaming the gen 
der perspective in all personnel policies, as well as 
raking positive action in the area of recruitment 
and appointment  of women to decision-making 
positions.  The  programme  also  aims at impro 

ving facilities to reconcile working life and fami 
ly commitments. 

Bodies  responsible  for  equal  opportunities  in 
in 
the  Member  States  have  been  active 
supporting a wide range of activities to encourage 
and develop a greater role for women in decision 
making. Social partner organisations and  NGOs 
have  also  contributed  to  the  promodon  of  a 
gender  balance. Conferences  and  studies  on  the 
subject  were  organised  during  1997  by 
UEAPME,  the  ETUC,  CEC  and  women's 
organisations in Spain and the Netherlands. 

The  Medium  Term  Community  Action 
Programme for Equal Opportunities for Women 
and Men51 (1996-2000) has supported a number 
of initiatives in  1997 relevant to the promotion 
of a balanced participation of women and men in 
decision-making. For example": 

1 The Belgian Senate has initiated a collaboration 
project  between  Committees  on  equal 
opportunities  in  national  parliaments and the 
Committee  on  Women's  Rights  of  the 
European Parliament. A conference took place 
in  May  1997  in the Belgian Senate.  In  1998, 
the national assembly of Portugal will chair the 
activities under this project. 

The  Council  of  European  Municipalities and 
Regions  (CEMR)  has  planned  to  widen  the 
European network of local and regional elected 
women  representatives,  to  other  members. 
the  dissemination  of 
Improvement 
information  on  equal  opportunities  to  local 
communities, participation of women and men 
elected at local and regional levels in meetings 
and conducting  surveys on decision-making in 
local politics, are included in this project. 

in 

"  European Parliament Women* Rights Committee, submit 

ted by Irene Crepaz EP 214.950/fin,  1996. 

u  Resolution on the appointment of COR members in terms 
of equal opportunities. Committee of the Regions 237/97. 
m Commission,  Directorate  General  for  Employment, 

Industrial Relations and Social Affairs,  1996. 

" Gender,  Power and Change  in  Health  Institutions  of the 
European  Union,  European Commission,  DGV; Women 
in Decision-making in the Judicial Systems of the European 
Union, CESEP; Women in the Financial Institutions in the 
European Union, Wissenschafazentrum Berlin; Women in 
Decision-Making  in  Education,  Catholic  University  of 
Louvain. 

" J. Lovenduski, Southampton University. 
"Third  Action  Programme  for  Equal  Opportunities  for 
Women and Men within the European Commission  1997-
2000 SEC (97) 536/3. 

•»COM(95)  381  final  of  19.7.1995.  Council  Decision  of 

22.12.1995. OJ L 335 of 30.12.1995. p.37. 

"see  Directory  of  the  Projects,  1997,  Medium-Term 
Community  Action  Programme  on  Equal  Opportunities 
for Women and Men (1996*2000) Commission, DGV. 

17 

EQUALITY RIGHTS - PROGRESS IN 1997 

• The FrauenComputerZentrum (FCZ) in Berlin 
has set up a European  data  bank on 'Women 
and  Decision-Making'.  It  provides  valuable 
base data for further research, studies,  training 
methods  as  well  as  for  the  development  of 
to  promote  women's 
strategies 
political 
participation in decision-making. 

* The  National  Women's Council  of Ireland has 
also  collected  data  on  women  and decision 
making in all sectors so as to put strategies into 
place for ensuring a balance between the sexes 
in the decision-making process. One particular 
goal is to discern training needs with a view to 
encouraging women's effective participation. 

SECTION 5 

EQUALITY RIGHTS 
PROGRESS IN 1997 

Legal and enforceable rights are the basis upon 
which  a  regime  of  equal  treatment  is  built. In 
1997, attention was focused on intergovernmen 
tal discussions and the Amsterdam Treaty, which 
gives  new responsibilities  and new possibilities 
for  European  institutions  to  promote  equal 
opportunities  for women  and men and to fight 
discrimination. At the same time, several themes 
have  emerged  in  relation  to  supporting  equal 
opportunities for women and men. 

Equal pay 

One of these themes is that of equal pay, which 
has long been a cornerstone of equal  opportuni 
ties  for women  and men. The Code  of Practice 
on  the implementation  of equal  pay for work of 
equal  value,  adopted  by the Commission,11  was 
discussed by the Committee on Employment and 
Social  Affairs  in the European  Parliament. The 
Report  was  adopted  on  11  June  1997.*4 The 
report  emphasises  that  setting  up  and  imple 
menting job evaluation and classification systems 
are considered  to be essential  in order  to elimi 
nate sex discrimination  from  pay structures and 
remove  unfair  wage  dements.  Awareness-raising 
and  information  campaigns are also described as 
an  important step in the process of reducing the 
current wage differentials. 

18 

Burden of proof 

The  adjustment of the burden of proof in the 
case of sex  discrimination  has long  been  a con 
cern of the Commission  which had already pro 
posed  a  Directive  in  1988."  In July  1996,  the 
Commission submitted a draft  Directive5' to the 
Council.  It  was  presented  to  the  Parliament 
which  gave its opinion" on the first  reading. A 
new proposal was submitted to the Council and 
was the subject of a common position on 27 June 
1997. After the opinion in second reading by the 
European  Parliament,  the Commission  submit 
ted a re-examined proposal of the Directive. The 
Council  adopted  the  Directive*  97/80  on  15 
December  1997. 

Social security schemes 

As  far  as  social  security  is  concerned,  the 
Commission  has concentrated on extending the 
benefits  of  equal  treatment  in  social  security 
schemes, in particular to self-employed  workers, 
following  the  Barber  ruling5'  by  the  Court  of 
Justice  of  the  European  Communities.  On 20 
December  1996, the  Council  adopted  a new 
Directive 
Directive 
86/378/EEC. The Commission is also studying a 
new draft  Directive to bridge the  gap in existing 
Community  legislation  in  the  realm  of  equal 
treatment  between  women  and men.  This  pro 
posal should deal with important matters such as 
pensionable  age, survivors'  benefits  and family 
benefits  which  are excluded  from  the scope  of 
existing Directives". 

amending 

96/97*° 

Positive action: Kalanke 
and Marschall cases 

Following  die  Kalanke  case,  the Commission 
proposed  to  amend  Directive  76/207/EEC  on 
equal treatment.*2 On  17 April 1997, the Council 

» COM(96) 336 Final of 17.7.1996. 
M European  Parliament  Committee  on  Employment  and 
Social Affairs. Report on the Code of Practice on the imple 
mentation of equal pay for work of equal value, EP 220.249 
adopted on 11.6.1997. 
* O JC  176 of 5.7.1988. 
M 1996 Report, p. 102. 
»  10.4.1997. 
"OJ  L  14 of  20.1.1998,  p.6. The  adopted  text  meets  the 
principal objective sought: dut of reversal of the burden of 
proof to favour the complainant. 

» Case C-262/88 of  17.5.1990 Barber v. GRE  [1990] ECR 

1889. 

" OJ L 46 of 17.2.1997, p.20. 
41 Directives  86/378/EEC and  96/97/EC as far as the *df-

employed are concerned and 79/7. 

•  Case C-450/95 Kalanke v. Freie Hansestadt Bremen [1995] 

ECR-I 3051. COM(96) 88 final of 27.3.1996. p.93. 

à-càdad  10 postpone  discussion  on  this  issue as 
tH- majority of the Member States did not believe 
it  was  necessary  to  change  the  Directive.  Since 
the Kaianke ruling did  not  call into question  its 
validity, the Member States wanted to re-examine 
their position  in  the light of the outcome of the 
IGC. 

In case C 409/95  (Marschall/Land Nordrhein-
Westfalen),  the  European  Court  of  Justice63 
concluded  that  a  national  law  which  gives 
priority  to  women  in  promotions  in  the  public 
sector  in  cases where  there  are male and  female 
candidates who are equally qualified  for  the post 
in  question  does  not  conflict  with  Community 
law provided  that certain conditions are satisfied 
and  the  promotion  of  a  male  candidate  is  not 
excluded from  the outset. 

The  ruling of the EC] confirms  the legality of 
the approaches to posidve action when they allow 
a  degree  of  flexibility  in  their  application  (not 
automatic).  The  new Amsterdam  Treaty  Article 
Y*4  (4)  will  not,  on  coming  into  force,  change 
the  situation.  The  European  Parliament  ir 

The  interpretation  of  the  Amsterdam 
Treaty and its impact an  die reinforcement 
of  equal  access  to  social  jeeurky  regimes 
and  on  the  maintenance and  zd'jyûtm  of 
positive actions is now bsing studied. 

rhe 

judgement  o? 

Provisions  for  positive  actions  ia  national 
;/ad Community law have also to lw recon-
iidzrzd  after 
the 
European Court of Justice in the h!  irjdiall 
esse  and  the  Commission  has  to  ^vbage 
what are rhe nsvr powibil'des to sn&ire that 
equality  cf  trectTient  may  not  only  riziù 
creating squal opportunities  forir^:»iduais 
of  different  *rr  but  T?*ay *l$o  çncccnpasa 
action  to  reduce  sirtac^ural  dî:r$er«tcc$  m 
the position of wsr : nn  and aaen hi working 
ViiC generally. 

EQUALITY RIGHTS - PROGRESS IN 1997 

subject  during  1997. The  Commission  is conse 
quently evaluating die results of studies commis 
sioned during  1997 in order to determine  further 
how best to approach this issue at European level. 

Trafficking in Persons 

Respect  for  the  human  rights  of  women  is 
recognised  as  an  integral  part  of  human  rights. 
The human rights of women include the right to 
have  control  over  and  decide  freely  on  matters 
relating  to  their  sexuality,  including  sexual  and 
reproductive health, free of coercion, discrimina 
tion  and  violence.  This  is  endorsed  in  the 
Commission  Communication  of  1996,  which 
deals with  one aspect  of violation  of the  human 
rights  of  women:  trafficking  in  women.64  The 
importance given to observing democratic princi 
ples ;. nd human rights under the Treaties was one 
of  the  inspirations  behind  the  Commission 
Communication  on combating child sex tourism 
of  1997." 

Throughout  1996 and  1997, the Commission, 
the  European  Parliament**,  Member  Stales  and 
concerned  NGOs67 have expressed, in often  pas 
sionate language, a revulsion  for  the violation of 
me rights and human dignity of women and chil 
dren  (both  girls  and  boys)  in  the  European 
Unioïi, as well as the devastating effects  this has 
on victims living inside and outside the European 
Union. 

The  Commission  has proposed  an  integrated, 
multi-disciplinary  approach  to  tackling  traffick 
ing «Lid has supported co-operation between law 
enforcement  agencies  under  joint  action  initia 
tives by  the  Member  States."  The  Justice  and 
Home  Airairs  Council  have  now  extended,  the 
mandate of th« European Drugs Unit to the  field 
of d e c k i ng  b  human beings. 

As .-:  measure  to  comba: violation  of women's 
humai  rights,  a  new  programme  known  as 
STOP69  -  Stop  tb.£ Trafficking  of  Persons  - was 

presently  studying  aie consequences  of  this case 
for 
to  modify 
Directive 75/207. 

the  Commissions  proposal 

fe^rzi  h®rms?fi%n$ at  work 

Th.2 projection  of  îhz  dignity  of  women  airi 
men  a:  work  is  of  crucial  importance.  Tînt 
Commission  has  already  launched  research, 
information  campaigns  and  guidelines  v/ith  tne 
social  partners. The  social  pawners  havs  agreed 
thaï  szmâ  harassment  is a widespread  pioûlem 
but  thev did  not  conduds an agreement on  this 

a  C^sc C-4C9/95 Maschaîî v. Lusd Noidrhcin-Westfckn  of 

! 1.11.-: 997. 

M COM(96)  557  firal  .of 20.11.1996.  See  also:  the  Hague 
5*ïkmïeriaî  Dodaradon  on  Eu~>pean Guidelines  for  afibc-
rivs i:>:;^Hiiuras VÏ sisroas aad combat traiHdung sa v/osnen 
for  ï!b.2  pviïyces  of  sxria'  exploitation,  Minmeiiai 
Cos .fence  uad;." îhe  PanHeacy of  the  Easopeaa  Union, 
The Hagvs, 24-25 Aoril  1997. 

* 0 ] C 3 o f 7 . 1 . 1 ? ^ , p . 2. 
"  Esyopsa."!  Parliament  CwniaiKse  on  Civil  Libcnis  :i»d 
InteiTiEi AZ&UJ. Rîrorî  ©a '.r^Sidàng in  harnsn  bein^p of 
l4.12.i9W. 

*  Statement  fiam  tha  Eissop&an NGO  Coofsrance  on  saï-

îkkïîig in women, hfcank/ijkerhoist,  5-7 April 1997. 
45 Tssa:y ef European Untan, Ardde K3 (2) second iademi. 
" O J L 3 2 2 of  12.12.?.99S. 

I£ 

FOLLOW-UP TO THE BEIJING PLATFORM FOR ACTION 

launched  covering  the  period  Î996-200070  to 
develop  initiatives  to  combat  trade  in  human 
beings, sexual exploitation of minors and the use 
of  telecommunication  facilities  for the purposes 
of such crimes7'. 

The  priority  given to such  initiatives was sus 
tained  by die  DAPHNE  initiative72  introduced 
by the justice and Home Affairs Task Force of the 
General  Secretariat of the Commission  in  1997, 
thus  assisting  non-governmental  and  voluntary 
organisations in fighting violence against women, 
young persons and children, and in particular in 
combating  sexual abuse and sexual  exploitation. 
Seme 46 DAPHNE  projects  have been  selected 
for an action programme. 

SECTION 6 

FOLLOW-UP 
TO THE BJ 
PLATFORM 
FOR ACTION 

The  UN  Fourth  World  Conference  on 
Women75  was an  event  of  tremendous  signifi 
cance, it demonstrated a consensus that women's 
issues  are global  and universal  and that  gender 
equality  for all people  is essential  for the cons 
truction  of just and democratic societies for the 
twenty-first  century. 

The  Platform  for Action  which  emerged  as  a 
result  of  the  Conference  together  with  the 
preparatory  process  provides  both  a  framework 
and an agenda for action on the critical areas of 
concern  to women  throughout  the world. The 
importance  of  political  determination  and the 
fulfilment  of  the  commitments  made  at  the 
Fourth World  Conference  on Women at Beijing 
were key messages taken by the European  Union 
to the Commission  on the Status of Women in 
New York during 1997™. Many representatives of 
women's  global  networks  and organisations  also 
went to New York to dialogue  with  government 
representatives  and  international  organisations 
on how to follow up me Platform  or Antion. ans. 
effectively  prolong  the  impact  of  dît*  Deijing 
Conference, Trie impsa  of a. vvcrlc'.-widc. denenjs-

2C 

•*&r,-:%Vî2*>&-A 

'-^UBF^*.:-'  '•.•'^we*PSB*PFî: 

•Pitm^x 

tration on this scale cannot be measured over the 
course of a single year. 

The  impact  of  the  Conference  can  also  be 
attributed to the fact that underlying concerns in 
relation to equal opportunities issues emerged  it 
the same time in a large number of countries, and 
certainly  within  the  European.  Member  States. 
The  Conference  has accelerated  the process of 
reform and contributed  to a better co-ordination 
of actions and interventions. 

During  1998. the Commission  will  continue 
its  monitoring  of  the  implementation  of  the 
Beijing  Platform  for  Action  and  facilitate  the 
ongoing  dialogue  between  Member  States  con 
cerning  its  implementation.  À  European  wide 
review of progress since  1995 will be supported 
during 1998. 

Responses to Beijing 
hy the Member States 

Member  States  have  oudined  their  plans  to 
meet  the goals established  at Beijing  in the first 
fcliov.'-up  reports, which  were published  during 
\S%  and circulated  during  1997. Many of the 
national reports presented  plans rsther than con 
crete achievements. Eich Member State has to fill 
the gap between goals to be achieved and actual 
projects  and programmes put in place to imple 
ment them. 

Member  States  have  developed  actions  and 
plans under the various headings of the Platform 
for Action. Under  education and training, Spain 
has published  a non-sexist  education  handbook; 
at a different  level, Luxembourg has produced a 
manual,  'Convention  on the Elimination  of all 
forms  of  Discrimination  against  women' 
(CEDAW). To take account  of the  Platform for 
Action on health, both Norway and Ireland have 
developed plans which take into account the gen 
der dimension of health and health  information. 
Under  the heading  of violence  against  women, 
Germany, Greece and Belgium  have each initia 
ted and supported  new developments: Germany 
in  training  materials  for  women's  refuge  staff, 
Greece in research on sexual abuse, and Belgium 

n  Launching date: 1997. 
"Joint  Action  of 29.13. i 996.  O] L 322 of the  12.12.1796. 

p.7. 

n  Daphne Initiative OJ C  Ï36 of 1.5=1997 p,!4. 
n  UN Fourth World Conference on Womer. Beijing- Chi*-*. 

4-15 September.  1995. 

"Statement  or.  beh«kf  «if the  EurcpeiMt  Uruor-  *>y M*  lv.\ 
^vr-:wt:,  head  of  the  Neth^Urids  étitgim*. 
-.•:> Î!V.- '"*? 
sœikir  of the Unïtci  Naiifiss 0>^-...nitt;'-:>. on '"* i.r;,;.  rî 
V/cKft.,  Nw<  vt»rk,  ! G  M*v<4> 1?97. 

in  the  area  cf  specialised  police  units.  Every 
Member State has supported acLon in the strate 
gic  area  of  women  ana  the  economy  The 
Portuguese development  of a spécial observatory 
to  monitor  and  prevent  direct  and  indirect  dis 
crimination  and  to  promote  a  new  culture  of 
equality  between  women  and  men  among  the 
social partners is of panirjlar  interest. 

Luxembourg  Presidency 

In  December 

the  Luxembourg 
1997, 
Presidency organised  a discission  on  the  follow-
up  to  Beijing.  The  discussion  considered  three 
aspects: 

• the integration of the concept of mamstreaming 

into national policy of the Member States; 

•  the best practices ia the field  of positive action 

in the Member States; 

•  measures undertaken  by Member  States in  the 

struggle against violence towards women. 

In  their  conclusions,  the  Council  noted  that 
following  a  number  of  declarations  of  intent, 
Member  States  had  moved  to  concrete  action. 
The  Council  noted  that  real  efforts  have  been 
made on most of the themes of the Platform  for 
Action  defined  by  the  United  Nation*.  The 
Council observed that Member States underlined 
the important  role played  by  NGOs  in  the pro 
motion  of women's rights at Member State level 
as well as international level. 

NGO  support 

United  Nations  agencies  and  international 
NGOs, among others, have developed a number 
of  new  systems  to  measure  progress in  reaching 
the goals of the Platform  for Action.75 These sys 
tems  propose  simple  and  uniform  indicators  of 
advancement  in  reducing  gender  disparities  or 
promoting the empowerment of women in coun 
tries  at  different  levcb  of  economic  and  social 
development. 

The  Fourth  World  Conference  brought 
together a wide range of participants: repre 
sentatives of states fat apart  geographically 
as well as in terms of economic Ot political 
development:;  représentatives of  NGOs  of 
all  sizes and  ranges; local  movements  and 
international organisations? and the media. 
This face-to-face  exchange was particularly 
useful 

FOLLOW-UP TO THE  BEIJING  PLATFORM  FOR  ACTION 

The  NGO  Forum  held  at  Huairou  outside 
Beijing  in parallel  with  the  UN  Conference was 
one of  the largest  assemblies  of women's  NGOs 
which had ever taken place. It has had the impor 
tant  effect  of  strengthening  relations  between 
NGOs  around  the  world  and  increasing  their 
contribution  to  change  through  dialogue  with 
governments.  At  a  regional  and  international 
level,  European  women's  NGOs  have  been 
involved  in  organising  the  monitoring  and  fol-
iow-up of the Beijing Global Platform for Action. 
During  1997, many NGOs  in the field  of deve 
lopment examined the integration of gender into 
European  and  national  governments'  develop 
ment  co-operation,  trade  and  external  relations 
policies. 

"Sec  UNDP  Human  Development  Report  1996,  Oxford 
University  Pre**, Social  Watch  1997,  Institute  del Terccr 
Mundo, Montevideo, 1997. 

21 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(98) 302  final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

05  06  04  17 

Catalogue number  : CB-CO-98-302-EN-C 

ISBN 92-78-35955-6 

Office  for Official  Publications of the European Communities 

L-2985 Luxembourg 

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