Gender Equality in the EU

Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality

The Chair

IPOL-COM-FEMM D(2024) 17097

To: The Ministers of Equality

Subject: Gender Equality in the EU

Dear Minister,

I am writing to you in my capacity as outgoing Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee for

Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), to share with you some considerations regarding

the future of gender equality in Europe.

As you know, this year is an important year of change, not only in the European Parliament, but for

our whole European Union. As the leadership of the Parliament and the Commission is about to

change, I count on you to continue to put the Union of Equality on your priority list. There are a

number of ways that I think this could be done.

On 7 May, you met to discuss, amongst other issues, the possible inclusion of equality to the title of

the EPSCO configuration of the Council. In this context, I remind you of the European Parliament

resolution of 10 March 2022 on gender mainstreaming which calls for the Council to establish a

Council configuration on gender equality. The EU needs a platform for intergovernmental

exchange on gender equality and a formal forum for the ministers and state secretaries responsible

for gender equality, in order to strengthen gender mainstreaming across all EU policies and

legislation, develop dialogue and cooperation between Member States, exchange best practices and

legislation, unblock negotiations on the main files related to gender equality, deliver common

responses to EU-wide problems and ensure that gender equality issues are discussed at the highest

political level.

The European Parliament is committed to gender equality and endorses gender mainstreaming as

one of its official policy approaches to ensure it. FEMM contributes to this work within the context

of its Gender Mainstreaming Network. We regret the fragmented implementation of gender

mainstreaming across policy areas and institutions at the EU level, and would encourage your

colleagues in other Ministries to take gender equality into consideration more consistently based on

solid analysis and expertise. Mainstreaming gender equality through their work would ensure that

all citizens would benefit equally from the policies that they are putting in place. We also have a

European Agency dedicated to supporting you in that task, namely the European Institute for

Gender Equality.

The Agency produces independent research and shares best practice to promote gender equality and

eliminate gender discrimination. It develops methodological tools and provides technical support

for gender mainstreaming in EU and national policies. The Agency can support your work by

combining research, data and tools to help you design measures that are inclusive, transformative

and promote gender equality in all areas of life.

D 201064 29.05.2024

In its second External Evaluation, the Agency was found to be a well-functioning organisation that

fulfils its mandate as set out in its founding regulation. However, there were some areas for

improvement, which I want to share with you.

Firstly, the absence of representation of one-third of the Member States in its governing body

(Management Board) poses a serious challenge to maintaining dialogue with all EU countries. The

Management Board invited the Commission to amend EIGE’s founding regulation and to expand

the composition of the Management Board by not only including representatives of all Member

States, but also a representative of the European Parliament. For now, the Commission has

proposed to have the EU Member States that are not represented in the Board to be invited as

observers. This should remain as a temporary measure to involve the unrepresented stakeholders,

since observers are not able to vote and take decisions in the interest of the Agency.

Despite some progress, the utility and role of EIGE’s advisory body (Experts’ Forum) remains

weak. The external evaluation considers it essential to revise the composition, role and working

methods of the advisory body. It should be carried out together with the revision of the composition

of the Management Board. Such changes would entail the revision of the Founding Regulation of

the Agency, which the Commission typically initiates in accordance with the review clauses in

Agencies’ regulations and following a second External Evaluation.

Finally, the External Evaluation report reveals significant staff shortages that prevent the Agency

from fully responding to its stakeholders' needs. This includes technical assistance at national level.

Strong reinforcement of the Agency's capabilities in terms of staff and budget is needed to enable it

to respond adequately to stakeholders' needs and to effectively address EU priorities.

I invite you to consider calling for an opening of the Founding Regulation to address these issues

and support any proposals for an increase in resources for the Agency.

Finally, I count on your support to tackle future challenges, while seizing the opportunities, for

gender equality in the EU. This includes supporting the next Commissioner responsible for gender

equality and the next Chair of the FEMM Committee.

Wishing you all the best in your future endeavours, and know that I remain a strong ally in the

work to promote gender equality in Europe.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Biedroń

Chair

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality

The Chair

IPOL-COM-FEMM D(2024) 17097

To: The Ministers of Equality

Subject: Gender Equality in the EU

Dear Minister,

I am writing to you in my capacity as outgoing Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee for

Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), to share with you some considerations regarding

the future of gender equality in Europe.

As you know, this year is an important year of change, not only in the European Parliament, but for

our whole European Union. As the leadership of the Parliament and the Commission is about to

change, I count on you to continue to put the Union of Equality on your priority list. There are a

number of ways that I think this could be done.

On 7 May, you met to discuss, amongst other issues, the possible inclusion of equality to the title of

the EPSCO configuration of the Council. In this context, I remind you of the European Parliament

resolution of 10 March 2022 on gender mainstreaming which calls for the Council to establish a

Council configuration on gender equality. The EU needs a platform for intergovernmental

exchange on gender equality and a formal forum for the ministers and state secretaries responsible

for gender equality, in order to strengthen gender mainstreaming across all EU policies and

legislation, develop dialogue and cooperation between Member States, exchange best practices and

legislation, unblock negotiations on the main files related to gender equality, deliver common

responses to EU-wide problems and ensure that gender equality issues are discussed at the highest

political level.

The European Parliament is committed to gender equality and endorses gender mainstreaming as

one of its official policy approaches to ensure it. FEMM contributes to this work within the context

of its Gender Mainstreaming Network. We regret the fragmented implementation of gender

mainstreaming across policy areas and institutions at the EU level, and would encourage your

colleagues in other Ministries to take gender equality into consideration more consistently based on

solid analysis and expertise. Mainstreaming gender equality through their work would ensure that

all citizens would benefit equally from the policies that they are putting in place. We also have a

European Agency dedicated to supporting you in that task, namely the European Institute for

Gender Equality.

The Agency produces independent research and shares best practice to promote gender equality and

eliminate gender discrimination. It develops methodological tools and provides technical support

for gender mainstreaming in EU and national policies. The Agency can support your work by

combining research, data and tools to help you design measures that are inclusive, transformative

and promote gender equality in all areas of life.

D 201064 29.05.2024

In its second External Evaluation, the Agency was found to be a well-functioning organisation that

fulfils its mandate as set out in its founding regulation. However, there were some areas for

improvement, which I want to share with you.

Firstly, the absence of representation of one-third of the Member States in its governing body

(Management Board) poses a serious challenge to maintaining dialogue with all EU countries. The

Management Board invited the Commission to amend EIGE’s founding regulation and to expand

the composition of the Management Board by not only including representatives of all Member

States, but also a representative of the European Parliament. For now, the Commission has

proposed to have the EU Member States that are not represented in the Board to be invited as

observers. This should remain as a temporary measure to involve the unrepresented stakeholders,

since observers are not able to vote and take decisions in the interest of the Agency.

Despite some progress, the utility and role of EIGE’s advisory body (Experts’ Forum) remains

weak. The external evaluation considers it essential to revise the composition, role and working

methods of the advisory body. It should be carried out together with the revision of the composition

of the Management Board. Such changes would entail the revision of the Founding Regulation of

the Agency, which the Commission typically initiates in accordance with the review clauses in

Agencies’ regulations and following a second External Evaluation.

Finally, the External Evaluation report reveals significant staff shortages that prevent the Agency

from fully responding to its stakeholders' needs. This includes technical assistance at national level.

Strong reinforcement of the Agency's capabilities in terms of staff and budget is needed to enable it

to respond adequately to stakeholders' needs and to effectively address EU priorities.

I invite you to consider calling for an opening of the Founding Regulation to address these issues

and support any proposals for an increase in resources for the Agency.

Finally, I count on your support to tackle future challenges, while seizing the opportunities, for

gender equality in the EU. This includes supporting the next Commissioner responsible for gender

equality and the next Chair of the FEMM Committee.

Wishing you all the best in your future endeavours, and know that I remain a strong ally in the

work to promote gender equality in Europe.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Biedroń

Chair

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality