Brussels, 16/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - MEPs are urging the Commission to present a report on implementation of Directive 2004/113/EC on equal treatment between men and women in access to goods and services and the provision of goods and services. This is the first directive that deals with gender equality outside professional circles.
On Tuesday 16 April, the European Parliament adopted (by 488 votes to 15, with 35 abstentions) the resolution by Zita Gurmai (S&D, Hungary) on this subject. Member states were due to have transposed the directive by end 2007, and the Commission was to present a summary report assessing implementation of the directive by end December. The Commission has now stated this will be published in 2014, given the controversy caused by the Test-Achat findings on the reference to gender in insurance services and the legislative adjustments that followed end 2011 (see EUROPE 10522). The Commission considers it would be premature to draft a report on implementation at this stage, a little over one year after the changes were introduced in the directive.
The author of the resolution is not of the same opinion as the directive is not limited to the field of insurance. Nonetheless, she fears that the guidelines provided by the Commission on equal treatment in insurance are not sufficient, and considers it important to measure the effects of the Test-Achat findings on insurance tariffs. She calls on the Commission to propose a new legislative text in line with the guidelines, and to clarify a situation that consumers find complex.
Thus, the resolution calls for greater attention to be paid to cases of discrimination linked to pregnancy, to the planning of pregnancy and to maternity, especially in relation to housing (renting), the obtaining of loans, and access to medical goods and services. (MD/transl.jl)