13/03/2008 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament has called for the situation of women in rural regions to be improved. On 12 March, the EP adopted the report by Crista Klass (EPP-ED, Germany) and called for there to be a review before the end of this year of the directive on the situation of assisting spouses, and argued for gender issues to be included in European rural development schemes. (L.C.)