Gender equality: establishment of a European Institute for Gender Equality

PURPOSE: the establishment of a “European Institute for Gender Equality”.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EC) No 1922/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing a European Institute for Gender Equality.

BACKGROUND: equality between men and women is a fundamental principle of the European Union and is enshrined in the Treaty on European Union. At the Nice European Council in 2000 the EU Heads of State called for the pooling of resources and the exchange of experience through the establishment of a “European Institute for Gender Equality”. This initiative later received the backing of both the Council and the European Parliament.

CONTENT: the purpose of this Regulation is the establishment of the “European Institute for Gender Equality”. It is to become operational no later than 19 January 2008. The overall objectives of the Institute will be to contribute to, and strengthen, the promotion of gender equality, including gender mainstreaming in all Community policies and the resulting national policies. It will also seek to fight discrimination based on sex as well as raising EU citizens’ awareness of gender equality by providing technical assistance to the Community institutions.

The tasks of the Institute will be to:

- collect, analyse and disseminate objective, comparable and reliable information on gender equality; and to examine best practices;

- develop methods to improve the objectivity, comparability and reliability of data by setting European criteria;

- develop, analyse, evaluate and disseminate methodological tools in order to support the integration of gender equality into all Community policies;

- carry out surveys on gender equality in Europe;

- set up and co-ordinate a European Network on Gender Equality;

- organise ad hoc meetings of experts to support the institutes’ research work and to encourage exchanges between researchers;

- organise conferences, campaigns and meetings at a European level and to present the findings and conclusions to the Commission;

- disseminate information regarding positive examples of non-stereotypical roles for women and men;

- develop dialogue and co-operation with NGO’s, universities and experts;

- set up publicly available documentation resources; and

- make information on gender mainstreaming available to the public.

The Institute is to carry out its tasks within the competences of the Community. Its work programme has to be in line with Community priorities on gender equality and, in pursuing its activities; it must try and avoid duplication. The Institute has its own legal personality and it will carry out its activities independently.

In terms of structure, the Institute will be made up of a Management Board; an Experts’ Forum; and a Director and his or her staff. The Regulation sets out the provisions governing the structure of the Institute. The Institute will be open to the participation of countries which have concluded agreements with the Community. By 18 January 2010, the Institute will commission an independent external evaluation of its achievements. Based on the findings of this report the Commission will make any recommendations, as may be necessary, regarding changes to the Institute, its working practices and its remit.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 19 January 2007.