Luxembourg, 12/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - Other than the real progress achieved by approving three directives of great importance given the social situation, in which we are going through an unprecedented wave of company restructuring and mergers in Europe and in the world (see yesterday's EUROPE, p. 11), the Employment/General Social Council in Luxembourg on Monday took note of the report by the Swedish Presidency on gender equality in Council formations other than the Employment and Social Affairs Council. This report in particular examines the way in which gender equality is taken into account within the Research Council (situation of women in the scientific field) and Development Council. The French Presidency of the EU had presented a similar report for the Industry and Education Councils, and the Belgian Presidency has announced one for external relations and for the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines (BEPGs).
In this context, the President briefed the Fifteen on Monday on the outcome of the meeting of experts in Sigtuna on 15 and 16 May on integrating the gender dimension in European policies, and Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou stressed the work accomplished by the high-level working group set up at the informal meeting of Norrkoping in February and which has placed special emphasis on integrating the gender dimension in the BEPGs.
In view of the Gothenburg Summit (see below), Ministers had a short round the table discussion on the Commission's communication concerning sustainable development, taking note of the opinions of the Employment Committee and Social Protection Committee on this communication. Still in preparation for the Gothenburg Summit, the Fifteen took note of the report by the Social Protection Committee concerning the sustainability pension schemes, which is a follow-up to the report on the viability of pensions (requested by the Summits of Lisbon, Feira and Nice). The debate confirmed the importance of applying the open method of coordination launched in Lisbon to the problem of pensions, and Commissioner Diamantopoulou announced the publication, end-June, of a second communication on the subject.
For the first time, moreover, the Council had a political discussion on coordinating social security schemes and recognized the need to simplify this regulation. Belgium pointed out that it was to deal with this issue during its Presidency of the EU from July. The Swedish Presidency also reported on the draft directive on the involvement of workers in the European cooperative society.
Anna Diamantopoulou then briefed the Fifteen on the contribution the Commission is preparing for the United Nations World Conference Against Racism in Durban on 31 August and 1 September, and its intention of declaring 2003 as "European Year for People with Disabilities".
Finally, regarding the punishment of women by lapidation in Iran (last March), Anna Diamantopoulou declared: "In agreement with Commissioner Patten, we expressed the wish of seeing the new moderate government reflect on this inhumane way of putting women to death".