The Commissioner-designate for Equality, Helena Dalli, brought to the fore a combative and experienced personality which allowed her to show herself generally comfortable with her dossiers on Wednesday 2 October during her hearing before the European Parliament's Committees on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) and Fundamental Freedoms (LIBE).
While Ms Dalli's answers may sometimes have lacked concrete elements, she presented a very personal experience and commitment on many of the topics addressed, such as the migration challenge, persons with disabilities, gender equality and transgender children. This earned her the applause of the assembly several times.
The first Maltese to be appointed as European Commissioner also stressed the need to focus on the application in Member States of existing legislation, such as the ‘work-life balance’ directive or the Convention on disability.
“I will be working to unblock the women on board directive”, Ms Dalli promised, in response to several questions from MEPs expressing concern that the EU Council has not adopted its position on this legislative initiative (see EUROPE 12184/13). “It's a shame! It has been [held up] there for too long”, she said outraged. The former Maltese Minister for Equality promised to engage with each Member State opposing this text, in order to identify a way out of this impasse.
A strategy on gender equality is expected to be published soon in order to develop the necessary tools to mainstream gender issues.
The work-life balance directive must also be implemented in this direction (see EUROPE 12309/13), by demonstrating to stakeholders the value of inclusive and egalitarian policies, family balance, the fight against stereotypes and the inclusion of women in the digital age.
Ms Dalli also referred Member States and stakeholders to their responsibilities, calling for the building of a “coalition of the will” of all parties on these issues.
Finally, to Katrin Langensiepen (Greens/EFA, Germany), who asked her if she would block any legislative proposal that would hinder equal opportunities and human rights, the Commissioner-designate replied in the affirmative.
“I will advocate the ‘anti-discrimination’ directive, which talks about age, religion, disability and sexual orientation”, she promised. The Employment and Social Affairs Council will discuss this directive on 24 October. She said that the text should be seen in a broader context, as she was questioned by Alice Kuhnke (Greens/EFA, Sweden), who was concerned about the lack of reference in her list of responsibilities to racial equality and diversity.
The Maltese socialist also promised to work very horizontally within the von der Leyen College.
However, she was very reserved in her response to Frances Fitzgerald (EPP, Ireland) about the lack of progress in the investigation into the murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)