Brussels, 07/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 7 September 2012, the European Parliament made use of the EP's hearing with the newly appointed member of the European Central Bank's Executive Council, Yves Mersch of Luxembourg, to put pressure on the ECB to have at least one woman on its board by putting a big question mark over Mersch's hearing at the EP's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee on Monday and therefore his confirmation in the new job. There are no women in any top jobs at the ECB. The chair of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, Sharon Bowles (ADLE, UK), said that the MEPs wanted to make it very clear that no female candidates had been considered for the job ahead of the official recommendation by the ECOFIN Council. Yves Mersch, governor of the Central Bank of Luxembourg, has seen a few upsets in his application to replace González-Páramo. Initially, Spain had wanted to see a Spaniard get the job and in May 2012, Bowles had urged the ECOFIN Council to have at least one male and one female candidate before making its recommendation. She said that she had been told verbally that no suitable women candidates could be found, but no formal response has been made to Bowles' request for an appointment process to facilitate the appointment of women to powerful jobs at the ECB. Reacting to this glass ceiling, which Bowles said was a general cultural problem at the ECB and within companies, the committee has postponed Mersch's hearing indefinitely. The Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee says it would not be good to hold the hearing, given that its concerns have not been properly dealt with. Sven Giegold (Greens/EFA, Germany), commented that it was simply not true that there was a lack of qualified female candidates and the fact that the ECB had not considered any women candidates left the committee with no choice. He warned that ignoring the MEPs would be a step backwards for European democracy in the euro crisis. The ECB refuses to comment, referring the question to MEPs and European finance ministers. (MD/transl.fl)