2000/407/EC: Commission Decision of 19 June 2000 relating to gender balance within the committees and expert groups established by it (notified under document number C(2000) 1600)
Date: 2000-06-19
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European Commission, committee (EU), gender equality, report, statistics

L 154/34

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

27.6.2000

COMMISSION DECISION

of 19 June 2000

relating to gender balance within the committees and expert groups established by it

(notified under document number C(2000) 1600)

(2000/407/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

(9)

Whereas:

According to Article 2 of the Treaty, equality between
men and women is one of the tasks to be promoted by
the Community.

According to Article 3 of the Treaty, in all its activities
the Community shall aim to eliminate inequalities, and
to promote equality, between men and women.

Despite Council Recommendation 96/694/EC of 2
December 1996 on the balanced participation of
women and men in the decision-making process (1),
women are still under-represented in decision-making
including those established by the Commis-
bodies,
sion (2).

(10)

(11)

(12)

The European Parliament's Resolution of 11 February
1994 on women in decision-making called on the Euro-
pean Union Member States to take specific action in the
field and was followed by a Council Resolution of 27
March 1995 on the balanced participation of women
and men in decision-making.

DECIDES:

representation of women and men in public and private
life.

At the EU Paris Conference of 17 April 1999 on women
and men in power called on the Member States to
promote the observance of equality between women and
men as regards appointments to decision-making bodies.

It is appropriate to adopt specific measures to promote
the balanced participation of women and men in the
decision-making process with the aim of bringing about
equality of opportunity between women and men.

The Commission has already committed itself to reach a
percentage of 40 % of women in all committees and
panels in the field of research (3). This aim schall be
pursued in other fields, within the expert groups and
committees established by the Commission.

This decision shall not apply to any committees falling
within the scope of the Council Decision 1999/468/EC
of 28 June 1999 on the procedures for the excercise of
implementing powers conferred on the Commission (4),

Equality between women and men is essential to human
dignity and democracy, and constitutes a fundamental
principle of Community law, of the constitutions and
laws of the Members States, and of international and
European conventions.

The Commission has adopted a policy of gender main-
streaming and the incorporation of equal opportunities
for women and men in all Community activities and
policies.

At the United Nations Fourth World Conference on
Women (Beĳing 1995)
the European Community
committed itself
to promoting women in decision-
making.

Article 1

This decision applies to expert groups and committes estab-
It covers newly created expert
lished by the Commission.
groups and committees as well as existing ones.

Article 2

The Commission commits itself to creating a gender balance in
expert groups and committees established by it. The aim in the
medium term is to reach at least 40 % of members of one sex
in each expert group and committee.

For expert groups and committees already in existence, the
Commission will aim to redress the gender balance upon each
replacement of a member and when the term of a member of
an expert group or committee comes to an end.

(8)

The Council of Europe, in its Recommendation 1413 of
1999 recommends that its Member States achieve equal

(1) OJ L 319, 10.12.1996, p. 11.
(2) COM(2000)120 final.

(3) COM(1999)76 final.
(4) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

27.6.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 154/35

Article 3

Three years after the adoption of the present Decision the Commission shall review its implementation and
publish a report, which shall
include statistical analysis of the gender balance in expert groups and
committees. Depending on the results of this review the Commission shall, at the time, take whatever
action is appropriate.

Done at Brussels, 19 June 2000.

For the Commission

Anna DIAMANTOPOULOU

Member of the Commission