COUNCIL RESOLUTION of 21 May 1991 on the third medium-term Community action programme on equal opportunities for women and men (1991 to 1995) (91/C 142/01)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaties establishing the European Communities,

Whereas the Directives adopted by the Council in the area of equal treatment for men and women have played an important role in improving the situation of women;

Whereas the Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers, adopted at the Strasbourg European Council meeting on 9 December 1989 by the Heads of State and Government of 11 Member States, and in particular point 16 thereof, declared that:

'Equal treatment for men and women must be assured. Equal opportunities for men and women must be developed.

To this end, action should be intensified to ensure the implementation of the principle of equality between men and women as regards in particular access to employment, remuneration, working conditions, social protection, education, vocational training and career development.

Measures should also be developed enabling men and women to reconcile their occupational and family obligations.';

Whereas the 1982-1985 and 1986-1990 action programmes and the undertakings given in this framework, together with those adopted in related areas, constitute positive contributions to the promotion of equal opportunities;

Whereas the efforts undertaken, particularly with regard to raising awareness, to information and training, and the assistance provided under the European Social Fund have prepared the way for future achievements on a larger scale;

Whereas, in spite of the efforts made at Community level and notwithstanding an improvement in the economic situation, inequalities nevertheless continue to exist, especially with regard to the employment of women;

Whereas the completion of the internal market is the most effective way of creating employment, ensuring maximum well-being in the Community and providing better opportunities for a qualified work-force on the labour market;

Whereas there is a dual need to consolidate the work already undertaken within the framework of the two previous action programmes regarding equal opportunities and to develop new policies and measures taking into account the social and economic changes of the 1990s and beyond;

Whereas women must be in a position to benefit on equal terms from the achievement of the single market and to contribute fully to such achievement; whereas, in order to meet the challenges of the 1990s, better use should be made of women's abilities and gifts so as to permit their full participation in the process of European development and a re-valuing of their contribution to that process; whereas that participation is an essential factor in European economic and social cohesion;

Whereas an overall, integrated approach is necessary in order to implement an effective policy of equal opportunities for women and men;

Whereas the two sides of industry have a very important role to play in the implementation of the third medium-term Community action programme on equal opportunities for women and men (1991-1995),

HEREBY ADOPTS THIS RESOLUTION:

I

THE COUNCIL:

- recalls that Community legal instruments constitute the necessary basis for the development of Community action and stresses the role of the Commission as the guardian of the Treaties,

-underlines that this basis can be strengthened by the adoption of other Community legal instruments,

-confirms that the efforts already undertaken should be intensified and developed with a view to:

- improving the implementation of existing legal provisions,

-promoting the integration of women on the labour market,

-improving the status of women in society,

-notes the Commission communication on a third medium-term Community action programme on equal opportunities for women and men (1991-1995) and supports the overall objective of that programme,

-recognizes the need to adopt an overall integrated approach allowing the policies on equality to be given full effect,

-confirms that it is therefore advisable to:

-strengthen cooperation between all the parties concerned in the implementation of this programme in order to achieve a policy of true partnership between the Commission, the Member States, regional and local authorities and the two sides of industry,

-intensify the social dialogue regarding equality,

-integrate the objective of equal opportunities and equal treatment in the formulation and implementation of the relevant policies and action programmes at both Community and Member State level and, to that end, apply more efficiently and, if necessary, improve institutional arrangements at Member State level, to enable equal opportunities and equal treatment to be effectively achieved in all areas.

II

THE COUNCIL:

1. INVITES THE MEMBER STATES

to implement the relevant measures provided for in the Commission communication on a third medium-term community action programme on equal opportunities for women and men (1991-1995), in order to achieve the following objectives:

- ensure the implementation and, if necessary, improvement of existing legal provisions; raise the level of awareness about legal rights and obligations,

-increase the participation of women in the labour market by applying national laws and practices in an improved manner to women, by developing specific measures for equal opportunities for women and men, and by promoting women's entrepreneurship and local employment initiatives,

-improve the quality of women's employment by maximizing their potential, particularly through stepping up action relating to education, vocational training, better staff management and the use of positive action in enterprises,

-reduce barriers to women's access to, and participation in, employment, also through measures designed to reconcile the family and occupational responsibilities of both women and men,

-continue, and develop, awareness-raising initiatives which are related to the specific objectives of this programme, and improve and disseminate information on equal opportunity and equal treatment issues,

-continue to encourage an improvement in the participation of women at all levels in the media sector and to develop innovatory programmes which present a full, realistic picture of women in society,

-encourage measures designed to promote the participation of women in the decision-making process in public, economic and social life.

2.INVITES THE MEMBER STATES:

- to adopt, as required, within the framework of this programme, national, regional or local equality plans or other relevant policy measures establishing objectives that match national circumstances,

-to draw up assessment reports,

given that collaboration and complementarity of measures between Member States and the Commission are essential in order to achieve the objectives of this programme.

3.INVITES BOTH SIDES OF INDUSTRY TO:

- make equal opportunities and equal treatment an element in collective bargaining, in particular by endeavouring to implement positive action programmes in undertakings and in occupational branches and sectors as part of a cohesive policy of staff management and to elicit a real commitment to in-service training and jobs for women,

-pursue and intensify the social dialogue on the issues of reconciling occupational and family responsibilities and protecting the dignity of women and men at work,

-include in collective bargaining the issues of equal remuneration (equal pay for equal work or work of equal value) and the elimination of discrimination on the basis of sex in job assessment and/or classification,

-take all necessary measures actively to promote women's representation in decision-making bodies.

4.INVITES THE COMMISSION TO:

-ensure that the present programme is implemented and make interim and overall assessments (at mid-term and at the end of the period) of the policy on equal opportunities and equal treatment, on the basis of the information supplied by the Member States, taking into account all action carried out by the Commission and outlining the action carried out by the Member States,

-submit the results of these assessments to the European Parliament, the Council and the Economic and Social Committee,

-integrate the objective of equal opportunities and equal treatment into the formulation and implementation of the appropriate policies and action programmes and introduce specific means of coordination.