WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3744/98 by Ulla SANDBÆK to the Commission. Appointments in GD IB and GD VIII to deal with women and development issues
Date: 1998-12-11
Institutions: European Parliament, SANDBAEK
Subjects: Community budget, European Commission, European official, appointment of staff, development policy, gender equality, in-service training, interinstitutional cooperation (EU), operation of the Institutions, servant (EU)

15.10.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 297/99

It should be noted that the Community legislation cited by the Honourable Member (Council Directives
90/425/EEC of 26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable in intra Community
trade in certain live animals and products with a view to the completion of the internal market and 92/65/EEC
of 13 July 1992 laying down animal health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community
of animals, semen, ova and embryos not subject to animal health requirements laid down in specific
Community rules referred to in Annex A (I) to Directive 90/425/EEC) does not apply to veterinary checks on
movements between Member States of pets accompanied by their owners, where such movements are not the
subject of a commercial transaction.

(1999/C 297/133)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3744/98

by Ulla Sandbæk (EDD) to the Commission

(11 December 1998)

Subject: Appointments in GD IB and GD VIII to deal with women and development issues

The Commission has adopted the idea of a ‘mainstreaming’ approach to women and development issues. How
many people at the Commission have been appointed to ensure that this approach is put into practice? How
many have been appointed to the new common service department and to GD IB and GD VIII? Have these
posts been filled by temporary external staff on secondment or by actual officials and, in the latter case, in
which grade (A, B or C)?

The Commission has a budget for staff training. What proportion of this budget has so far been spent on
training staff in ‘mainstreaming’ in relation to women? Are any of these funds earmarked for such training?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(11 February 1999)

Since 1996, the Commission’s policy on ‘mainstreaming’ has required each directorate general to integrate a
gender and equal opportunities perspective into its policy areas.

In the case of the directorates general responsible for development issues, this priority is reflected in the
respective organisation charts. In the Joint Relex Service, Unit B.5’s responsibilities include gender issues. In
DG VIII (Development) and DG IB (External relations: Southern Mediterranean, Middle East, Latin America,
South and South-East Asia and North-South cooperation), Units A2 and D2 are responsible for ‘mainstream-
ing’ of gender issues in their respective directorates general.

However, the Commission is fully aware that @ if they are to be effective @ ‘mainstreaming’ activities can not
be limited to these units alone. Thus many other officials are also involved in ‘mainstreaming’ in their daily
work. As part of its policy on ‘mainstreaming’ the Commission is building on the regular exchange of
information and experience which already takes place between directorates general on this issue. Officials have
been appointed by 29 directorates general and horizontal services with specific responsibility for gender
‘mainstreaming’ in their respective services and participate in the inter-service cooperation to develop and
monitor the Commission policy of gender ‘mainstreaming’. Specific training for officials and a specific
mention of the gender dimension of management will appear in a call for tender which is about to be launched
for the training of all middle and senior management in the Commission.

Three specific training courses are organised at present in this area, the latest of which is specifically targeted at
the ‘mainstreaming’ officers in the Commission who are themselves responsible for promoting this policy in
the individual directorates general. About 250 people follow these three courses over a period of 12 months
and their cost accounts for approximately 8 % of the budget for centrally-organised training activities.