Brussels, 18/12/2009 (Agence Europe) - The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) opened its doors in Vilnius (Lithuania) on 16 December. The inauguration of the new premises took place in a ceremony attended by Dalia Grybauskaité, the President of Lithuania, Valdis Zatlers, the President of Latvia, Vladimir Spidla, the European Commissioner for Equal Opportunities, Eva Welskop-Deffaa, the President of the board of directors of the EIGE, and Virginija Langbakk, director of the Institute. The ceremony marked the official launch of one of the EU's most recent agencies, the aim of which is to promote issues relating to gender equality.
In a press release, the Commission announces that: (1) the budget of the EIGE is 52.5 million euros for the period 2007-2013; (2) its objective is to collect and analyse comparable data on equality between men and women, to create methodological tools for such purposes as promoting the integration of the gender equality and Community policies, facilitating the exchange of best practice and dialogue between stakeholders and raising awareness among European citizens; (3) the bodies of the EIGE are: - a management board (decision-making body), which adopts the annual and medium-term working programme and the budget of the Institute; - the experts' forum (consultative body), which assists the director in guaranteeing the excellence and independence of the Institute's activities; - the director (executive body), who is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Institute and for the implementation of the working programme; (4) in 2010, the EIGE will employ a staff of around 30 and plans to recruit seconded national experts to improve its competence in the field of gender equality. (G.B./trans.fl)