Brussels, 12/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - The Lithuanian Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers will ensure the gap is closed between member state positions regarding the controversial proposal for there to be a quota of women holding top management posts. The Lithuanian minister for employment and labour, Algimanta Pabedinskiene, made this announcement to the parliamentary committee on women's rights and gender equality on Wednesday 10 July.
In June this year, the Irish Presidency of the EU Council presented the progress made on the Commission proposal for there to be 40% women holding non-executive posts on company boards in major European companies quoted on the stock exchange. On this basis, the minister said, the Lithuanian Presidency aims and hopes to reach a compromise; feeling convinced it will be possible. She says the Presidency will seek to shed light on the legal provisions that take the different legislative frameworks into account in order to allow more wriggle room for member states. She added that the Presidency would seek to make compromises between member states, between commercial laws, and between the measures already taken in the different member states.
Furthermore, the Lithuanian Presidency will organise, in Vilnius, an informal ministerial meeting on gender equality, and is expected to adopt conclusions on the effectiveness of the institutional mechanisms. (MD/transl.jl)