Brussels, 20/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - The Greens are hitting back at the intention of nine member states not to support Viviane Reding's awaited proposal on setting a quota of 40% women on the boards of bluechip companies.
In favour of a strong directive. On Tuesday 18 September the co-leaders of the Greens/EFA Group addressed a letter to both the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, and to the European commissioner for fundamental rights, Viviane Reding, urging them to formulate their legislative proposal. “We urge you to put forward a strong directive with binding measures that will ensure the achievement of our common aim of gender balance in business leadership”, say Rebecca Harms (Austria), Daniel Cohn-Bendit (France) and the spokesperson from the Greens on gender equality, Marije Cornelissen (Netherlands).
Bullying tactics. They strongly attack the nine European ministers who have already promised to block the women's quota at the Council. The risk is serious because Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom would be in a good position to gain a qualified majority and thus to make Reding's proposal fail (see EUROPE 10690). “It is regrettable that some member states shun the debate on the need for a quota for women on boards and for sanctions in case of non-compliance.” Harms considers that above all these are “bullying tactics” on the part of these member states - tactics to which the Commission should not give in, but on the contrary, “should present the draft legislation as soon as possible”.
MEPs behind Reding. The parliamentary committee in charge of women's rights and gender equality (FEMM) held a discussion on the issue on Wednesday 19 September. Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (ALDE, Greece), the author of a resolution adopted last year, spoke of a blockage which prevents the European Commission from making use of its right of initiative. During the discussion the MEPs from the FEMM committee largely announced their support for the awaited draft directive. They also announced their intention to block the Council. The only discordant voice was that of Marina Yannakoudakis (ECR, United Kingdom) who argued for freedom in handling this issue and for discrimination on gender to be banned - as the discrimination can be in both directions. The FEMM committee might also send a letter to the Commission, but has not yet ruled on whether it would be better to send this before or after presentation of the draft directive.
Meritocracy for the Women's Lobby. The Women's Lobby has already opted for its modus operandi. In a letter to the European Commission and the 27 member states the association tries to calm the recalcitrant member states, recalling that “the very limited scope of the text should reassure any member states wary of excessive EU interference: the directive would apply to publicly-listed companies with more than 250 employees and an annual turnover exceeding €50 million. It also concerns only non-executive positions on boards of administration, thus excluding the most influential posts. Member states are furthermore given considerable discretion in selecting the sanctions for non-compliance.” The Women's Lobby believes that the draft directive will simply allow women to be considered in a fair way on the basis of merit. (MD/transl.fl)