09/10/2020 (Agence Europe) – The leaders of the EPP, S&D, Renew Europe, Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL groups wrote on Thursday 8 October to the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, and the German Secretary of State for European Affairs, Michael Roth, to invite them to restart negotiations on the Women on Boards directive, which has been blocked in the EU Council since 2013. The text, which aims to introduce a requirement for 40% women on company boards, again received Parliament’s backing in a plenary debate this week (see EUROPE 12575/19) - an opportunity for MEPs to bring the issue back into the spotlight. According to the most recent figures from the European Institute for Gender Equality, women still account for less than 30% of board members, the letter points out. (AC)