Theme of the day of 12 March 2007

Equality Roadmap

A report by Amalia Sartori MEP (Italy), EPP-ED Coordinator of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, on a roadmap for gender equality is to be debated on Monday 12 March in Strasbourg. The report follows the 2006 Commission Communication, which identifies six priority actions areas, specifying indicators for monitoring progress towards equality.

The six priority action areas are:

• Achieving equal economic independence for women and men
• Enhancing reconciliation of work and family life
• Promoting equal participation of women and men in decision-making
• Eradicating gender-based violence and trafficking in human beings
• Eliminating gender stereotypes in society
• Promoting gender equality outside the EU

The report welcomes the Commission's initiative to pursue a long-term equal opportunities strategy, but criticizes the roadmap for not including any legislative proposals, and failing to specify both the responsibilities of the Commission and the Member States as regards implementation and information to citizens, and the funds that will be allocated to implement its recommendations.

The Commission is urged to draw up an overall framework for assessing the various policies and programmes involved, and calls for the European Institute for Gender Equality to be set up quickly to enable progress under the Roadmap to be constantly monitored. The Commission is also advised to revise Council directive 75/117/EEC on the approximation of laws on the application of the principle of equal pay for men and women. The report recommends that Member States should appoint national officials ('Ms Lisbons') to take charge of gender equality for the purposes of implementing the Lisbon strategy.

Related press releases:

13/03/2007	Una Tabella di Marcia per l'Ugualianza di Genere/ A Roadmap for Gender Equality. Amalia Sartori MEP
08/03/2007	International Women's Day: "Political and business leaders need to join forces to boost labour participation by women." Joseph Daul, EPP-ED Chairman, and Marianne Thyssen, EPP-ED Vice-Chairwoman
15/12/2006	European Parliament backs the creation of European Institute for Gender Equality. Amalia Sartori MEP

	Commission Communication: A Roadmap for equality between women and men 2006-2010
	Sartori Report (pre-vote)

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