The European Ministers for Labour, Social Affairs and Equality held a policy debate on Tuesday 13 October on gender equality in the labour market (see EUROPE 12579/24).
This discussion provided an opportunity to address a subject the German Presidency of the EU Council has been questioned on several times recently (see EUROPE 12575/19, 12578/26): the under-representation of women in senior management positions.
Women do account for less than 30% of board members and only 8% of CEOs of large listed companies in the EU, according to figures from the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE).
MEPs, associations and trade unions are counting on Berlin to relaunch negotiations on the ‘Women on Boards’ directive, blocked in the EU Council since 2013, which aims to introduce a 40% requirement for women on company boards.
Controversial issue. “There are issues of subsidiarity at stake here and therefore it is still an open question. We do not know whether we will take further step or not, but the subject has been raised”, said German Minister for Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Franziska Giffey, after the EU Council meeting. “It is still a rather controversial matter”, she added.
However, this issue was identified by Ministers as one of the challenges they will now have to address. In addition, some stressed that the introduction of binding rules in their respective States had already led to significant progress.
“In countries that have introduced quotas, the share of women in decision-making roles has increased by 27.4% in ten years. During the same period, in countries without quotas, it increased by only 2.9% according to the EIGE”, European Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli, told the press, adding that she had reaffirmed her desire to see the directive adopted at the EU Council.
Equal pay. In addition to the need to allow more women to take up managerial positions, the ministers recognised the importance of ensuring greater equality of opportunity in the labour market as well as equal pay, Giffey summarised, adding that “not much will happen without binding rules”.
Commissioner Dalli, for her part, noted that she would shortly be presenting binding measures on equal pay. A proposal for a directive on wage transparency, a key promise of the von der Leyen Commission, is in fact expected in mid-December (see EUROPE 12576/10).
“We need to detect, acknowledge and address the root issue of pay discrimination”, said Helena Dalli, adding that a comprehensive approach should also be taken to combat the persistence of gender stereotypes and the employment of women in lower paid sectors and positions. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)