“Frustration” was a word that came up time and again during the meeting between the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU and the European Parliament’s women’s rights and gender equality committee on 25 January. MEPs argued that the discussions on quotas for women and the Istanbul Convention were advancing too slowly in Council.
The MEPs are unhappy that the draft directive seeking to introduce a quota that would see women occupy 40% of the non-executive posts on the boards of major stock-exchange listed companies in Europe has been under discussion for four years (see EUROPE 11547). “The EPSCO Council of December 2015 revealed that there is a blocking minority on this issue. … Malta has shifted its position following the change of government and the introduction of a flexibility clause. We will do all in our power to make progress”, promised Helena Dalli, Maltese Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties. She said that ratification of the Istanbul Convention on violence against women is a priority for the Presidency and that she was hopeful this goal would be achieved.
More generally, MEPs warned against misogynistic leaders who could set back women’s rights. “I feel real frustration towards the Council and the Commission because of the lack of progress on women’s rights and gender equality. I am also worried that the United States has elected a misogynistic president”, stated Terry Reintke (Greens/EFA, Germany). Her colleague Julie Ward (S&D, UK) added: “The problem is not just Donald Trump: the new president of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, also has a problem with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersexual and questioning (LGBTIQ) community”. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)