10/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - In his address to the European Black Women's Council, the Commissioner for Equal Opportunities, Vladimir Spidla congratulated the Council for “sending out a strong signal to Europe, because European policies will only be really efficient if they respond to the needs of all European citizens in their whole diversity”. The Commissioner pointed out that more than half of all Europeans are women, of which a significant number are black and that the Council of European Black Women is, “a new voice reflecting this important component in European society”. Mr Spidla also welcomed the fact that this voice was first heard on the international scene in 2007, during the International Year of Equal Opportunities. He highlighted the fact that the EU had set itself the political priority of social inclusion of members of ethnic minorities. (G.B./trans/rh)