Stockholm, Paris, Madrid, Helsinki,
Prague, Copenhagen, 9 February 2006
H E Mr Wolfgang Schüssel
Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria
Vienna
Mr Chancellor,
The EU informal summit at Hampton Court on 27 October 2005 identified a number of
key priorities to prepare the European Union for the challenges and opportunities of
globalisation. There was broad agreement on the need for new impetus in a number of
areas, including with regard to ageing populations and the need for increased labour
market participation.
It is clear that further efforts are required to attain the goals of the Lisbon Strategy.
Policies are needed that effectively respond to the challenges of economic and
demographic change at both European and national level. Key among them must be
measures to ensure that the productive potential of the European labour force is fully put
to use.
Ensuring that women and men can participate equally and fully in the labour market and
contribute to society at large will be vital for the maintenance of a competitive and
prosperous Europe. Policies to promote women’s employment and to ensure
opportunities for both women and men to combine professional and private life are
therefore crucial.
Against this background we (the undersigned) propose a European Pact for Gender
Equality. The Pact for Gender Equality should serve to enhance women’s participation
in the labour market and to promote equality between women and men. The Pact should
build on already existing objectives, targets and instruments within the Lisbon process,
the integrated guidelines for growth and jobs, and the Roadmap for future EU gender
equality policies. Thus, no new processes or financial instruments are required.
In general terms, its objectives should be :
i)
to contribute to fulfilling EU ambitions on gender equality in the treaty
(Article 2 and Article 3(2) of the EC Treaty),
ii)
to facilitate the full use of the productive potential of the European labour
force and close the gender gaps in employment and social protection,
