95/420/EC: Commission Decision of 19 July 1995 amending Decision 82/43/EEC relating to the setting up of an Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men

COMMISSION DECISION of 19 July 1995 amending Decision 82/43/EEC relating to the setting up of an  Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (95/420/EC)
THE  COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Whereas the constant improvement of living and working conditions and the harmonious development of  economies constitute objectives of the European Economic Community;
Whereas the Heads of State and Government, meeting within the European Council on 10 and 11  December 1994, emphasized that equality of opportunity for women and men, together with the fight  against unemployment, is a paramount task of the European Union and its Member States;
Whereas 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 Member States, and  of international and European conventions;
Whereas the application in practice of the principle of equal treatment for women and men must be  encouraged by improved cooperation and exchanges of views and experience between those bodies which  have special responsibility in the Member States for promoting equality of opportunity, the social  partners and the Commission;
Whereas the full implementation in practice of the six Directives, two recommendations and nine  resolutions adopted by the Council in the field of equal opportunities  (1) can be speeded up  considerably with the assistance of national bodies having a network of specialized information at  their disposal;
Whereas the preparation, implementation and monitoring of the Community's activities to promote  equal opportunities require close cooperation with specialized bodies in the Member States and with  the social partners, thereby necessitating an institutional framework for the purpose of regular  consultation with those parties;
Whereas the Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, established by Commission  Decision 82/43/EEC of 9 December 1981  (1), has made a significant contribution to the Community's  activities in this field, particularly in terms of following up successive Community action  programmes both through its opinions and through its cooperation, on a partnership basis, with the  Commission;
Whereas the composition and terms of reference of the Committee have to be adapted to take account  of current and future developments with a view to promoting equal opportunities, as outlined in the  Commission communication of 19 July 1995 proposing a new medium-term action programme in this  connection; whereas it is therefore necessary to amend Decision 82/43/EEC,