WRITTEN QUESTION E-1416/01 by Manuel Pérez Álvarez (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Equal opportunities for men and women.
Date: 2001-05-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Employment Strategy, equal treatment, gender equality, sexual discrimination, working conditions

C 364 E/106

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

The Commission is aware that the current rules are complicated to apply for Member States and are also
contested by the smaller companies. An intra-industry attempt to reach agreement between the two main
industry groupings on developing a single industry position was unsuccessful after several years of
negotiation.

The Commission will also examine the need to amend the provisions on data protection in the
forthcoming review.

(2001/C 364 E/116)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1416/01

by Manuel PØrez `lvarez (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Equal opportunities for men and women

(14 May 2001)

The Third European Study on Working Conditions, which relates to the year 2000, does not paint a picture
the efforts being made to achieve equal
which could be described as satisfactory in the case of
opportunities for men and women.

The European Foundation considers that sex discrimination is still prevalent and that it adversely affects
working women.

This discrimination is particularly at the upper end of the job spectrum.

Is the Commission intending to devise or implement further programmes designed to promote genuine
equality of a kind which has manifestly not been achieved in occupations in which senior positions are
habitually occupied by men?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(13 July 2001)

The Honourable Member refers to the third European survey carried out by the European Foundation for
the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions in 2000.

Indeed, the results of this survey clearly show the need for a full debate on the quality of work in Europe,
in the current climate of increased competition and changing employment patterns, including the gender
equality aspects.

With regard to whether the Commission intends to pursue its efforts to promote gender equality in
occupations where the senior positions are usually held by men, the Commission would like to reassure
the Honourable Member of the on-going nature of work in this area through the Community framework
Strategy on gender equality (2001-2005) and the related programme. This programme envisages five areas
of intervention, namely gender equality in economic, social and civil life, as well as equal participation and
representation, and gender stereotyping. For the year 2001-2002 the priority theme for projects and
activities is equal pay, followed by reconciliation between family and work, women in decision-making and
gender stereotyping. Moreover, through the fourth pillar of its guidelines which expressly deals with the
issue of equal opportunities for women and men,
the European Employment Strategy has given
a significant
It is with the use of those tools and the political
commitment of Heads of Government as set out in the recent conclusions of the Stockholm European
Council that the objectives of the Community in respect of gender equality will be visibly promoted.

impetus to attain gender equality.