2001/51/EC: Council Decision of 20 December 2000 establishing a Programme relating to the Community framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005)

• Published date: 19 January 2001
• Date of Signature: 30 March 2001
• Subject Matter: anti-discrimination,Human rights
• Official Gazette Publication: Official Journal of the European Communities, L 17, 19 January 2001

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32001D0051

2001/51/EC: Council Decision of 20 December 2000 establishing a Programme relating to the Community framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005)

Official Journal L 017 , 19/01/2001 P. 0022 - 0029

Council Decision

of 20 December 2000

establishing a Programme relating to the Community framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005)

(2001/51/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 13 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission(1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament(2),

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee(3),

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions(4),

Whereas:

(1) The principle of equal treatment for women and men is a fundamental principle of Community law and the Directives and other acts adopted in keeping with it have played a major part in improving the situation of women.

(2) Experience of action at Community level has shown that promoting gender equality in practice calls for a combination of measures and, in particular, of legislation and practical action designed to reinforce one another. Experience has also shown that Community work in this area should be continued, combining integration of the gender dimension with specific action. In addition it has shown the importance of the role of men in achieving equality between the sexes.

(3) The persistence of structural, gender-based discrimination, double - and often multiple-discrimination faced by many women and persistent gender inequality justify the continuation and strengthening of Community action in the field and the adoption of new methods and approaches.

(4) The European Parliament, in its Resolution on the interim report of the Commission on the implementation of the medium-term Community action programme on equal opportunities for men and women (1996-2000)(5), has called on the Commission to submit a proposal for a fifth action programme.

(5) The Council, in its Conclusions of 22 October 1999 has stressed the importance of a new action programme to promote equality for women and men.

(6) The Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing on 15 September 1995 adopted a Declaration and a Platform for Action calling on governments, the international community and civil society to take strategic action to eliminate both discrimination against women and the barriers to gender equality. The final document to emerge from the follow-up meeting and the evaluation made at the UN/General Assembly in New York from 5 to 9 June 2000 (Beijing + 5) confirmed the Declaration and Platform for Action and strengthened the latter in certain areas. They also reaffirmed the need for its speedy and complete implementation.

(7) All Member States and applicant countries have signed and ratified the UN/Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

(8) The European Council, meeting in Lisbon on 23 and 24 March 2000 and at Santa Maria da Feira on 19 and 20 June 2000, called on the Commission and the Member States to further all aspects of equal opportunities in employment policies, for example by reducing occupational segregation and making it easier to reconcile working and family life, in particular by setting a new benchmark for improved childcare provision. It also set quantitative objectives, inter alia, with regard to increasing the number of women in employment from an average of 51 % today to more than 60 % by 2010.

(9) In its Resolution of 29 June 2000(6) the Council stressed the importance of a balanced participation by women and men in family and working life.

(10) The new Community framework strategy for gender equality embraces all activities of the Community which in accordance with Article 3(2) of the Treaty aim to eliminate inequalities, and to promote equality, between men and women. This Decision provides the structure for the horizontal and coordinating activities necessary to ensure coherence and to develop synergies with regard to the implementation of the Community framework strategy.

(11) In order to reinforce the added value of Community action, the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, should ensure, at all levels, the coherence and complementarity of actions implemented in the framework of this Decision and other relevant Community policies, instruments and actions, in particular those concerning a coordinated employment strategy, social policy, the European Social Fund, education, vocational training and youth.

(12) Measures to strengthen the capacity of key players involved in promoting gender equality should include the exchange of information, experience and best practices among networks, including the network of Parliamentary Committees for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in Member States and in the European Parliament and the Commission's experts' networks. Promotion of synergy among the members of the networks should be a priority issue.

(13) It is important that the Commission and the Member States make efforts to ensure that all the texts, guidelines and calls for tenders published under this programme are written in clear, simple and accessible language.

(14) It is necessary for the success of any Community action for the results to be monitored and evaluated against the aims.

(15) The measures necessary for the implementation of this Decision should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission(7).

(16) The agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) provides for increased cooperation in the social field between the European Community and its Member States on the one hand and the countries of the European Free Trade Area participating in the European Economic Area (EFTA/EEA) on the other. Furthermore this Programme should be opened up for participation by the applicant countries of Central and Eastern Europe, in accordance with the conditions established in the Europe Agreements, in their additional protocols and in the decisions of the respective Association Councils, to Cyprus, Malta and Turkey. This...