Equal opportunities advances

Keywords: European Union, Positive action, Women

Equal opportunities for women and men has made significant progress in the EU by combining a twin strategy of "mainstreaming" and action specifically aimed at women. This is one conclusion of the third annual report on equal opportunities, adopted by the Commission on International Women's Day, 8 March. The report assesses achievements in mainstreaming - integrating equal opportunities into all decision making and action - in areas such as education,research and aid.

The principle of equal opportunities in the labour market has been integrated into the EU's Employment Guidelines, said Commissioner Anita Gradin. It is also an integral part of Structural Funds guidelines. Internally, the Commission has appointed people within each Directorate-General who are responsible for ensuring that equal opportunities are taken into account in all activities. For the first time, the report devotes a section to the position in the countries that have applied to join the EU. Looking ahead to the entry into force of the Amsterdam Treaty, Gradin said that the Commission was now looking at new possibilities for legislating for equal treatment in the field of employment. The report is available from the Commission's server at http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg05/equ_opp/news/report_en.htm