Brussels, 06/02/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament has adopted an own-initiative report by Edite Estrela (PES, Portugal) on equality between women and men in the EU, thereby drawing attention to continuing gender inequality in the enlarged EU and recommended measures to resolve them. MEPs stressed the need to narrow the pay gap between the sexes, which is estimated to be around 25% in the EU-25 and called on Member States to provide statistics on such gaps in all employment categories, make greater and more vigorous efforts to transpose Community legislation to reduce differences in pay levels and end sex discrimination in the labour market to increase the proportion of women in high level posts. Parliament called for assurances that pension regimes did not discriminate against women, bolstering current models, which disadvantage them already in terms of benefits and contributions. The EP stressed too the need to avoid gender segregation in the labour market and called on young women to undertake studies in traditionally male subject areas.
Parliament reminded Member States of the undertaking approved by the European Council in Barcelona in 2002 to remove barriers to equal participation of women and men in the labour market and to introduce childcare facilities for 90% of children between 3 years old and statutory school age and for at least 33% of children under 3 years of age by 2010. MEPs want similar targets for facilities for the care of elderly and sick relatives.