Changes from resolution motion to adopted text

AddedV. whereas seven years since the Commission put forward its proposal and Parliament adopted its position at first reading, no agreement has yet been reached on the directive on improving the gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on stock exchanges and related measures (Women on Boards Directive), and the proposal has been blocked in the Council ever since;

AddedW. whereas twelve years since its proposal by the Commission, no agreement has yet been reached on the Council directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, and the proposal has been blocked in the Council ever since;

AddedX. whereas in its conclusions of 10 December 2019 entitled ‘Gender-Equal Economies in the EU: The Way Forward’, the Council stressed that ‘while old challenges remain, new ones are emerging. Objectives set for gender equality have not been fully achieved’ and called on the Commission and the Member States to ‘strengthen gender equality [...] by actively promoting high-level political dialogue on gender equality issues at EU level, and at the highest political level’;

AddedY. whereas high-level political dialogue and dialogue at EU level has proven to be efficient in reducing disparities between Member States and promoting European integration in most policy areas; whereas a structured dialogue at the highest political level is essential to protect and promote women’s rights and gender equality through the adoption of gender-responsive Union legislation;

AddedZ. whereas the role of the Council as co-legislator of the EU is essential; whereas Council configurations must be designed to respond to current political challenges and priorities; whereas the lack of a dedicated Council configuration on gender equality increases the risk of adopting gender-blind legislation;

AddedAA. whereas the current Commission has shown a strong commitment to the advancement of gender equality in its President’s political guidelines and through subsequent actions;

AddedAB. whereas gender equality issues are currently addressed at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council level, which does not properly reflect all aspects to be tackled;

AddedAC. whereas Parliament has already called for the establishment of a new Council configuration of ministers and secretaries of state in charge of gender equality;

AddedAD. whereas several presidencies of the Council of the European Union have made positive efforts to organise informal meetings for ministers and secretaries of state in charge of gender equality and to put gender equality issues on programme agendas; whereas this practice must be institutionalised through a permanent dedicated forum;

AddedAE. whereas united action is essential in order to upwardly converge and harmonise women’s rights in Europe through a strong pact between Member States, by sharing and implementing the most ambitious Union legislation and the implementation of best practices currently in force in the EU;

AddedAF. whereas while there is a Commissioner exclusively responsible for equality and Parliament has a committee dedicated to Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, there is no specific Council configuration on gender equality and ministers and secretaries of state in charge of gender equality have no dedicated and formalised forum for discussion;

AddedAG. whereas the European Council, acting by qualified majority, has the right to establish (or amend) the list of configurations in which the Council meets, other than those of the General Affairs Council and of the Foreign Affairs Council;

Added1. Regrets that the ministers and secretaries of state in charge of gender equality have no dedicated institutional forum to ensure that Member State representatives regularly meet, discuss, legislate, take political decisions and exchange best practices; stresses that bringing together ministers and secretaries of state in charge of gender equality will provide for a better focused and more efficient forum for cooperation, ensuring stronger integration of gender equality into EU strategies and policy processes, a coherent approach and coordination of all related policies;

Added2. Stresses the importance of gathering ministers and secretaries of state in charge of gender equality in one dedicated, formal forum in order to deliver common and concrete measures and legislation to address the challenges in the field of women’s rights and gender equality and ensure that gender equality issues are discussed at the highest political level, taking into account the distinct forms of discrimination that racialised women, women belonging to ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, older women, women with disabilities, Roma women, LBTI women, refugee and migrant women, and women at risk of social exclusion suffer;

Added3. Stresses the importance of the political signal expressed through the establishment of a Council configuration on gender equality; affirms that a specific Council configuration on gender equality, allowing ministers and secretaries of state in charge of gender equality to regularly meet and discuss, will strengthen gender mainstreaming in Union legislation, as well as dialogue and cooperation between Member States, the exchange of best practices and legislation, and the capacity to deliver common responses to EU-wide problems, and will contribute to narrowing the gaps between Member States and harmonising the protection of women’s rights and gender equality in Europe via an intersectional approach;

Added4. Underlines that a specific Council configuration on gender equality would represent a key element in unblocking the negotiations on the main files related to gender equality, namely the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, the adoption of the directive on improving the gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on stock exchanges and related measures (Women on Boards Directive), and the Council directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation (Anti-Discrimination Directive), and in boosting other gender issues that should be addressed in the coming years, such as adding gender-based violence to the list of Eurocrimes and the adoption of a future directive on gender-based violence;

Added5. Calls on the Council and the European Council to establish a Council configuration on gender equality in order to facilitate gender mainstreaming across all EU policies and legislation;

Added6. Calls on the European Council to act by qualified majority and amend the list of configurations in which the Council meets, in accordance with Article 236 TFEU and Article 2(1) of the Council’s Rules of Procedure;

Added7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.