The Permanent Representatives of the Member States to the European Union, meeting on Friday 8 October, were asked to forward to the EU Council, for approval, draft conclusions on gender mainstreaming in the EU budget.
The short draft conclusions, which were a compromise in a working group last week, should therefore be approved by EU Ministers at the Employment and Social Policy Council on 15 October.
The document was drafted on the basis of an audit by the European Court of Auditors published in May (see EUROPE 12727/13).
This audit revealed persistent shortcomings in gender mainstreaming in the EU budget. The Court therefore accompanied its report with a series of recommendations to the Commission, which the EU Council largely followed.
In its draft conclusions, the latter invites the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, to intensify its efforts, particularly by strengthening the “gender analysis” of European legislative measures.
Gender analysis, the Court explained in its report, makes it possible to identify the differences in conditions and needs between women and men and to estimate the consequences of a policy or programme on each of these two groups.
For example, the EU Council refers here to “the possibility of undertaking ex-ante and ex-post gender impact analyses”.
Annual report, dedicated staff, monitoring system
The Court also regretted that the Commission does not use gender-related indicators and gender-disaggregated data to monitor progress.
The EU Council therefore calls on the institution to address these shortcomings and to report, in the Annual Management and Performance Report (AMPR), on the progress made in gender mainstreaming - with supporting indicators and data.
The draft conclusions also suggest that the Commission designate staff to support gender mainstreaming in each of its Directorates-General, provide dedicated training for all staff and develop a “robust system” for monitoring funds used to support gender equality.
Finally, the EU Council proposes that the Commission report on how the national recovery plans funded by the Next Generation EU mechanism have contributed to the promotion of gender equality.
To consult the draft conclusions: https://bit.ly/3amka1H (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)