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” Women in Europe”

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WOMEN IN EUROPEWOMEN IN EUROPE Introduction :Introduction :

The European Union versus the Council of EuropeThe European Union versus the Council of Europe

The European Parliam ent The European Com m ission

The European Union The Council of Europe

W om en in Europe


WOMEN IN EUROPEWOMEN IN EUROPE Introduction :Introduction :

The European Union versus the Council of EuropeThe European Union versus the Council of Europe

The European Union is a family of democratic European countries, committed to working together for prosperity and peace. It is not a State intended to replace existing states, yet its Member States have set up common institutions to which they delegate some of their sovereignty so that decisions on specific matters of joint interest can be made democratically at European level.

The Council of Europe is an international institution, which aims to protect human rights, pluralist democracy and the rule of law. Its 45 members include 21 countries from Central and Eastern Europe. It has granted observer status to the United States, Canada, Japan, the Vatican and Mexico. Any European state can become a member provided it accepts the Council’s fundamental principles and guarantees human rights to everyone under its jurisdiction.

The Council of Europe should not be confused with the European Union. The two organisations are quite distinct. The Council of Europe was established in 1949, grouping together 45 countries. The European Union was founded in 1957, uniting 25 member states.

Whereas the Council of Europe is mainly concerned with human rights and legal work, the European Union is also active in the field of economy, politics, industry and finance, food and agriculture. The former fifteen European Union member states are all members of the Council of Europe.


WOMEN IN EUROPE Introduction: The European Union versus the Council of EuropeIntroduction: The European Union versus the Council of Europe

The European UnionThe European Union

• Introduction

• Key dates and documents

• Legal work: Directives on equal opportunities

• Institutions for equal opportunities

– European Parliament

– European Commission

The Council of EuropeThe Council of Europe

• Introduction

– Origin and membership – Aims

• Institutions for equal opportunities:

- Directorate-General Human Rights

- Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men



IntroductionIntroduction

• As from the foundation of the European Union in 1957, gender equality was integrated as a fundamental principle in the EC-Treaty. But that was only a start. It took years of struggle to get where we are now.

• Meanwhile, the European institutions have worked hard to ensure that women’s rights are recognized and to set up structures to put them into practice in everyday life.

• Equal treatment of men and women is a basic principle of democracy. The European legislation clearly stipulates non-discrimination on a variety of grounds, one of which is sex. Sex discrimination may be direct or indirect:

– direct discrimination happens when men and women are treated differently on the basis of sex;

– indirect discrimination happens when a requirement, condition or practice that does not appear to be unfair, in fact discriminates against people of a particular sex.

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• What has been achieved in the European Union in the field of gender equality and gender mainstreaming? Those achievements are called “the community acquis”

– Community acquis means the entire collection of common rights and obligations which bind all the Member States together within the European Union. It is changing all the time. It comprises:

• Principles and objectives agreed upon and laid down in the treaties

• Legislation following the treaties

• All kinds of declarations, resolutions and measures concerning the European Union’s activities.

Read more about the term community acquis

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Key dates and documentsKey dates and documents

Let’s have a look at some key dates, thus demonstrating the “Community acquis” in the field of gender equality and gender mainstreaming, achieved in the European Union.

• 1957 Treaty of Rome establishing the European Community

• 1982 Action programmes on equal opportunities for men and women

• 1997 The Treaty of Amsterdam, entry into force on 1st May 1999

• 2000 Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union

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19571957 Treaty of Rome establishing the European CommunityTreaty of Rome establishing the European Community

The Treaty of Rome (25th March 1957) establishing the European Community aims at, among others, the elimination of all discrimination on grounds of gender.

• The most famous article is art. 119 which lays down the principle of equal pay for equal work.

• Since the Member States showed little enthusiasm in the practical application of that principle, a number of Equal Pay Directives have been designed as from 1975.

• Article 119 of the Treaty of Rome says:

– Each Member State shall during the first stage ensure […] that men and women should receive equal pay for equal work. – For the purpose of this Article, pay means the ordinary basic or minimum wage or salary and any other consideration, whether in

cash or in kind, which the worker receives, directly or indirectly, in respect of his employment from his employer. – Equal pay without discrimination based on sex means:

• that pay for work at time rates shall be the same for the same job.

• that pay for the same work at piece rates shall be calculated on the basis of the same unit of measurement;

Read more: The Treaty of Rome, Article 119

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1982 1982 Action programmes on equal opportunities for men and womenAction programmes on equal opportunities for men and women

• The first medium-term action programme was launched in 1982, now the fifth action programme (2001-2005) is running.

• The programmes aim at promoting the values underlying gender equality and eliminating direct and indirect discrimination against women in many areas.

Read more: Fifth Action Programme

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1997 1997 The Treaty of Amsterdam, entry into force on 1The Treaty of Amsterdam, entry into force on 1stst May 1999 May 1999

• With this Treaty, the principles of equal rights for men and women and of non-discrimination on the basis of sex are incorporated into the EC-Treaty.

• What interests us most is the section on freedom, security and justice

– This section explains the guarantees introduced by the Amsterdam Treaty to protect fundamental rights within the European Union, such as equality between men and women, non-discrimination and data privacy.

– It also discusses the changes concerning freedom of movement within the European Union and the inclusion in the EC Treaty of a new Title on visas, asylum, immigration, and other policies linked to the free movement of persons

Read more: the whole text of the Treaty a comprehensive Guide to the Treaty

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2000 2000 Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European UnionCharter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union

• A unique entity of classic human rights, social and economic rights and consumer rights, solemnly proclaimed by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission at Nice on the 7th December, 2000.

• The Article 23 explicitly deals with equality between men and women in all areas, including employment, work and pay, and the acceptance of the principle of favouring the under-represented sex.

Read more: Charter of Fundamental Rights

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Legal work: Directives on equal opportunitiesLegal work: Directives on equal opportunities

EU Directives on equal opportunities for men and womenEU Directives on equal opportunities for men and women

1975 Equal pay 1975 Equal pay for men and womenfor men and women

• Directive 75/117 of 10th February 1975 says in its Article 1:

– The principle of equal pay for men and women means, for the same work or for work to which equal value is attributed, the elimination of all discrimination on grounds of sex with regard to all aspects and conditions of remuneration.

– In particular, where a job classification system is used for determining pay, it must be based on the same criteria for both men and women and so drawn up as to exclude any discrimination on grounds of sex.

Read more: Directive 75/117

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1976 1976 Equal treatment for men and women as regards access to Equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employmentemployment, ,

vocational trainingvocational training and and promotionpromotion, and , and working conditionsworking conditions..

• Directive 76/207/EEG of 9th February 1976 says in its Article 1:

– The purpose of this Directive is to put into effect in the Member States the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards:

• access to employment, including promotion, and to vocational training

• working conditions

• social security.

Read more: Directive 76/207/EEG

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1978 1978 Equal treatment of men and women in matters of Equal treatment of men and women in matters of social securitysocial security..

• Directive 79/7 of 19th December 1978 says in its Article 1

– The purpose of this Directive is the progressive implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women in matters of social security, regarding protection against risks such as sickness,

• invalidity,

• old age,

• accidents at work and occupational diseases,

• unemployment;

– The directive applies to the working population - including self-employed persons.


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1986 1986 Equal treatment Equal treatment in a self-employed capacityin a self-employed capacity, including agriculture, , including agriculture,

and on the protection of and on the protection of self-employed women during pregnancy self-employed women during pregnancy

and motherhood.and motherhood.

• Directive 86/613 of 11th December 1986 says in Article 1:

– This Directive deals with equal treatment between self-employed male and female workers, the position of the spouses without professional status of self-employed workers, the protection of self-employed workers or wives of self-employed workers during pregnancy and motherhood


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1992 1992 Improvements in the Improvements in the safetysafety and and health at work of pregnant health at work of pregnant

workersworkers and workers who have recently given birth or are and workers who have recently given birth or are

breastfeedingbreastfeeding..

• Directive 92/85 of 19th October 1992 says in its Article 1:

– Purpose:

• To encourage improvements in the safety and health at work of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or who are breastfeeding.

• This Directive may not reduce the level of protection afforded to pregnant workers etc. in each Member State.


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1996 1996 Framework agreement on Framework agreement on parental leaveparental leave concluded by European concluded by European

confederation of enterprises and trade unions.confederation of enterprises and trade unions.

• Directive 96/34 of 3rd June 1996 says in its Article 1:

– The purpose of this Directive is to put into effect the framework agreement on parental leave concluded on 14 December 1995 between the general cross-industry organizations

• (Union of Industrial and Employers’ Confederations of Europe)

• (Centre Européen des Entreprises de Participation publique)

• (European Trade Union Confederation)


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1997 Burden of proof1997 Burden of proof in cases of discrimination based on sex. in cases of discrimination based on sex.

• Directive 97/80 of 15th December 1997 says in its Article 4:

– when persons who consider themselves wronged because the principle of equal treatment has not been applied to them, it shall be for the respondent to prove that there has been no breach of the principle of equal treatment.


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1998 1998 Framework agreement on Framework agreement on part-time workingpart-time working concluded by UNICE, concluded by UNICE,

CEEP and the ETUC.CEEP and the ETUC.

• Directive 97/81 of 15th December 1997 aims to

– remove discrimination against part-time workers and to improve the quality of part-time work;

– to facilitate the development of part-time work on a voluntary basis and the flexible organization of working time in view of the needs of employers and workers.


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2000 2000 Equal treatment in Equal treatment in employmentemployment and and occupationoccupation..

• Directive 2000/78/EG of 27th November 2000 says in its Article 1:

– The purpose of this Directive is to lay down a general framework for combating discrimination as regards employment and occupation, on the grounds of:• religion or belief • disability • age • sexual orientation

Read more: Directive 2000/78/EG

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2002 2002 Amendment of the 1976 Directive on access to employment,Amendment of the 1976 Directive on access to employment, vocational vocational

training and promotion, and working conditions.training and promotion, and working conditions.

• Directive 2002/73/EG of 23rd September 2002 refines and adds important statements to the 1976 directive, such as:

– Member States must keep in mind the equality between men and women when they make laws, regulations and policies regarding access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions.

– There shall be no discrimination whatsoever on grounds of sex either directly or indirectly by reference in particular to marital or family status.

– Sexual harassment is considered to be discrimination on the grounds of sex and therefore prohibited.

Read more: Directive 2002/73/EG

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Institutions and bodies responsible for equality between Institutions and bodies responsible for equality between women and men in the European Unionwomen and men in the European Union

EU institutions responsible for equality between women and men.EU institutions responsible for equality between women and men.

European ParliamentEuropean Parliament

• Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender EqualityCommittee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality • Women’s Rights Unit in the Directorate-General for Research (DG IV)Women’s Rights Unit in the Directorate-General for Research (DG IV) • Committee on Equal Opportunities for men and women (COPEC)Committee on Equal Opportunities for men and women (COPEC)

European CommissionEuropean Commission

• Equal Opportunities between Women and Men and Family policy UnitEqual Opportunities between Women and Men and Family policy Unit • Expert groups and networksExpert groups and networks• Consultative Committee on equal opportunities for women and menConsultative Committee on equal opportunities for women and men • Other Directorate-Generals concerned with women’s rightsOther Directorate-Generals concerned with women’s rights, in particular DGX (Information), DG , in particular DGX (Information), DG

VIII (Development) and DG I (External Relations)VIII (Development) and DG I (External Relations)

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• The Parliamentary Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender EqualityThe Parliamentary Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

– the definition and development of Women’s rights within the EUthe definition and development of Women’s rights within the EU – the implementation of the Beijing Action Programmethe implementation of the Beijing Action Programme – mainstreaming and positive actions, ensuring women’s participation in every mainstreaming and positive actions, ensuring women’s participation in every

stage of the decision-making processstage of the decision-making process – combating violence and trafficking of womencombating violence and trafficking of women – the integration of the Charter of Fundamental Rights into the new European the integration of the Charter of Fundamental Rights into the new European

Convention.Convention.

Read more: Read more: Committee on Women’s Rights

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• Women’s Rights Unit in the Directorate-General for Research (DG IV)Women’s Rights Unit in the Directorate-General for Research (DG IV)

– A division works on research in the area of women’s rightsA division works on research in the area of women’s rights – In close cooperation with the parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and In close cooperation with the parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and

Equal Opportunities and its secretariatEqual Opportunities and its secretariat – E-mail: E-mail: [email protected] – Phone + 352 4300 238 05 / 229 27 Phone + 352 4300 238 05 / 229 27

Read more: Read more: DG IV

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• Committee on Equal Opportunities for men and women (COPEC)Committee on Equal Opportunities for men and women (COPEC)

– Parliament’s COPEC is part of the Directorate-General for Personnel (DG V)Parliament’s COPEC is part of the Directorate-General for Personnel (DG V)

– It takes account of all the elements of work organisation and of the career development of European Union It takes account of all the elements of work organisation and of the career development of European Union staff in order to ensure equal opportunities in recruitment, career management, vocational training and staff in order to ensure equal opportunities in recruitment, career management, vocational training and access to decision-making positionsaccess to decision-making positions

– specific areas:specific areas:• dignity at workdignity at work • making it possible to combine work and home responsibilitiesmaking it possible to combine work and home responsibilities

– teleworking, part-time working, working hoursteleworking, part-time working, working hours – child care structureschild care structures

Read more: Read more: COPEC

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• Equal Opportunities between Women and Men and Family Policy Unit set up by DG Equal Opportunities between Women and Men and Family Policy Unit set up by DG V:V:

– Set up in 1976, under Commission DG V, Employment and Social AffairsSet up in 1976, under Commission DG V, Employment and Social Affairs

– The Unit supports transnational projects to promote equality between men and women in The Unit supports transnational projects to promote equality between men and women in employment, combining work with family life, the media, decision-making and mainstreamingemployment, combining work with family life, the media, decision-making and mainstreaming

– Aim:Aim: • To encourage the integration of women into the labour marketTo encourage the integration of women into the labour market • Improve the status of women in societyImprove the status of women in society • Include the gender element in EU policies and activitiesInclude the gender element in EU policies and activities

Read more: Read more: Family Policy Unit

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Institutions and bodies responsible for equality between Institutions and bodies responsible for equality between women and men in the European Unionwomen and men in the European Union EU institutions responsible for equality between women and men.EU institutions responsible for equality between women and men.


• Expert groups and networks at European level set up by DG V:Expert groups and networks at European level set up by DG V:

– Gender and Law’ Expert GroupGender and Law’ Expert Group• monitors legal developments in the Member States in the area of equal opportunitiesmonitors legal developments in the Member States in the area of equal opportunities

– ‘‘Gender and Employment’ Expert GroupGender and Employment’ Expert Group • analyses obstacles, problems and challenges to women in the area of employment, at European levelanalyses obstacles, problems and challenges to women in the area of employment, at European level

– ‘‘Family and Work’ European networkFamily and Work’ European network • aims to study, disseminate and exchange innovative practices in the area of combining work and family lifeaims to study, disseminate and exchange innovative practices in the area of combining work and family life • analyses new forms of work organisation, flexible working hours and professional mobility.analyses new forms of work organisation, flexible working hours and professional mobility.

– European monitoring centre on national family policies.European monitoring centre on national family policies. • aims to study trends in different forms of family structure, demographic change and the impact of various aims to study trends in different forms of family structure, demographic change and the impact of various

policies on the family.policies on the family.

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• Consultative Committee on equal opportunities for women and menConsultative Committee on equal opportunities for women and men

– The committee, set up in 1981, is composed of:The committee, set up in 1981, is composed of:• Two representatives of each member state and of both workers and employers at European Two representatives of each member state and of both workers and employers at European

levellevel • Observers from European Women’s Lobby, Council of Europe, ILO (International Labour Office) Observers from European Women’s Lobby, Council of Europe, ILO (International Labour Office)

and othersand others

– Assists the Commission in drawing up its policy on the promotion of women’s Assists the Commission in drawing up its policy on the promotion of women’s interests, women’s employment and equal opportunitiesinterests, women’s employment and equal opportunities

Read more:Read more: Consultative committee

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• Women’s Information Division (DG X), Directorate-General for Information, Women’s Information Division (DG X), Directorate-General for Information, Communication, Culture and Audiovisual Media (DGX)Communication, Culture and Audiovisual Media (DGX)

– The Women’s Information Division disseminates information about Community measures in favour The Women’s Information Division disseminates information about Community measures in favour of women:of women: • Information is circulated through a monthly newsletter, ‘Women of Europe’, which appears in 11

languages; • 25 000 copies are distributed to women’s associations, relay networks, libraries and individuals

throughout the EU.

– The Division also organises a “Prix Niki” award to European TV producers who portray women and The Division also organises a “Prix Niki” award to European TV producers who portray women and men in non-traditional ways in TV programmes.men in non-traditional ways in TV programmes.

Read more:Read more: Women’s Information Division

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• Women and Development Unit, Directorate-General for Development (DG VIII)Women and Development Unit, Directorate-General for Development (DG VIII)

– to integrate gender issues into all areas of development cooperation with ACP to integrate gender issues into all areas of development cooperation with ACP countries (regions of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific) through advice and countries (regions of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific) through advice and training activities;training activities;

– supports activities and projects targeted directly at women’s needs and rights;supports activities and projects targeted directly at women’s needs and rights; – prepares and implements contracts financed from the budget line on integrating prepares and implements contracts financed from the budget line on integrating

gender issues into development cooperation.gender issues into development cooperation.

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• DG I (External Relations)DG I (External Relations)

– PHARE and TACISPHARE and TACIS • programmes of support for non-governmental organisations in Central Europe, the newly programmes of support for non-governmental organisations in Central Europe, the newly

independent States and Mongolia;independent States and Mongolia; • in 1993, at the request of Parliament’s Committee on Women's Rights, a budget of ECU 600 in 1993, at the request of Parliament’s Committee on Women's Rights, a budget of ECU 600

000 was allocated to the programme of support for non-governmental organisations in the 000 was allocated to the programme of support for non-governmental organisations in the Central and Eastern European countries (Phare) and the newly independent States (Tacis) to Central and Eastern European countries (Phare) and the newly independent States (Tacis) to meet the specific needs of women.meet the specific needs of women.

Read more:Read more: PHARE and TACIS

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– The ‘Women and Development’ UnitThe ‘Women and Development’ Unit

• Set up in 1990, within the Directorate-General for External Relations, Southern Set up in 1990, within the Directorate-General for External Relations, Southern Mediterranean, Middle East, Latin America, Southern and South-East Asia, and North-South Mediterranean, Middle East, Latin America, Southern and South-East Asia, and North-South relations;relations;

• The unit ensures that women’s needs and priorities are fully taken into account in The unit ensures that women’s needs and priorities are fully taken into account in Commission-funded development cooperation in those countriesCommission-funded development cooperation in those countries

Read more:Read more: Women and Development

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Equal Opportunities in the Council of Europe: Equal Opportunities in the Council of Europe: an overviewan overview


• Origin and membershipOrigin and membership • AimsAims

Institutions defending equal opportunities between men and womenInstitutions defending equal opportunities between men and women

• Directorate-General Human Rights • The Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men

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Equal Opportunities in the Council of Europe: Equal Opportunities in the Council of Europe: IntroductionIntroduction

• Origin and membershipOrigin and membership – The Council of Europe is the continent's oldest political organisation, founded in 1949, with its The Council of Europe is the continent's oldest political organisation, founded in 1949, with its

headquarters in Strasbourg (France).headquarters in Strasbourg (France). – It groups together 45 countries, including 21 from Central and Eastern Europe. It has granted It groups together 45 countries, including 21 from Central and Eastern Europe. It has granted

observer status to the United States, Canada, Japan, the Vatican and Mexico.observer status to the United States, Canada, Japan, the Vatican and Mexico.

• AimsAims – To defend human rights, parliamentary democracy and the rule of law;To defend human rights, parliamentary democracy and the rule of law; – To develop continent-wide agreements to standardise member countries' social and legal To develop continent-wide agreements to standardise member countries' social and legal

practices;practices;

– To promote awareness of a European identity based on shared values and cutting across different To promote awareness of a European identity based on shared values and cutting across different

cultures.cultures.

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• Directorate-General Human RightsDirectorate-General Human Rights

The Directorate-General Human Rights of the Council of Europe deals with, among other things, equality between women and men. Its division Equality between Women and Men has published a fact sheet on activities and achievements of the Council of Europe in the field of gender equality.

Read more: DG Human Rights/equality

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• The Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men (CDEG)The Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men (CDEG)

– To combat trafficking in human beings (read more below) – To fight violence against women (read more below) – To promote gender mainstreaming

– To promote balanced participation of women and men

Read more: Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men

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• The Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men (CDEG)The Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men (CDEG)

• To fight trafficking in human beings • To fight violence against women• To promote gender mainstreaming and balanced participation of women and men in political and public decision making

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– To fight trafficking in human beings.To fight trafficking in human beings.

• Trafficking constitutes a violation of human rights:– of the individual, undermining a person’s personal dignity and integrity, freedom of

movement and even right to life – of a social group by being a modern form of slavery, by questioning the rule of law

and by undermining fundamental democratic values.

Read more on the combat against trafficking in human beings

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– To fight violence against women:To fight violence against women:

• by virtue of their sex, women are preponderantly exposed to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment such as physical violence, rape, genital and sexual mutilation

• violence against women is a serious obstacle to equality between women and men

Read more on the fight against violence

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– To promote gender mainstreaming and balanced participation:To promote gender mainstreaming and balanced participation:

• To promote the balanced participation of women and men in political and public decision-making. Equal representation of women and men is at the heart of the functioning of pluralist democracy. It constitutes an integral part of the statutory obligations of the Council of Europe;

• Gender mainstreaming strategy is instrumental in achieving real equality and partnership of women and men in both private and public spheres.

Read more: Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men

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