Suggestions to the European Parliament Report on the role of women in industry

January 17, 2008, Strassbourg

Filiz Hyusmenova: I defended the interests of the working women, mothers, women in retirement

MEPs call for
Quotas for women in managerial positions

"We call on the Commission and the Member States to encourage balanced representation of women and men on the management boards of companies.

We welcome the example Norway set by passing a law that provides for a 40% quota for women on the management boards of the joint-stock companies.

We encourage the Member States to promote female entrepreneurship in the industrial sector and to provide financial support for women setting up companies, as well as to stimulate programs and initiatives, promoting the gender equality and equal pay for women and men’ reads the European Parliament Report on the role of women in industry. The Report was authored by Ilda Figueiredo, Portugal, and was discussed in the plenary hall in Strassbourg on Thursday.

This was preceded by months of resolving the disagreements, lead by the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality in cooperation with the Committee on Industry, when more than 100 suggestions for changes were reviewed. In her capacity of representative of Bulgaria and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, the MEP Filiz Hyusmenova actively contributed with ideas and suggestions on how to enhance the role of women in industry.

I trust this is my duty, and I am glad that during the prolonged refinement of the texts I managed to defend the need for protecting the working women in the process of restructuring of industrial enterprises. Also, as reflected in the final version of the report, I raised the question about the compensations that would be owed to male and female workers in the event the undertaking fails to comply with its contractual obligations, clarified Hyusmenova.

Sometimes, perhaps due to the fact that the public statementes are more attractive, the ‘invisible’ editing and refinement of texts is neglected by the MEPs as part of their obligations. However, by passing this resolution, the European Parliament obliges the Committee and the European Council units to guarantee the equality between men and women not only on paper, states the Bulgarian MEP.

Another concern, shared by our liberals, is related to the flexible measures regarding the family policy. They aim at facilitating the return of women to their career after maternity leave, and comprise a number of legislative provisions on sharing the family responsibilities between the parents, without overlooking the protection of single mothers.

Approximately 14%, but not more than 25% of the working women in the European Union are employed in the field of industry. From those working part-time in the industry sector, women represent 65%, and the remuneration of women working in the sector is on the average 20% lower than the one of men, shows the statistics. That is why the MEPs demand for equality of salaries. They also emphasise on facilitation of career development for working women.

With the cooperation of Filiz Hyusmenova, the European Parliament Report demands that women who approach retirement age also have right to continuing education, and that was supported by all political parties in the European Parliament. ‘It was important to me to defend the rights of working women, the mothers and the women in retirement,’ summarized Hyusmenova.

The European liberals, however, criticize the Brussels institutions, and particularly the European Committee, claiming that the Gender Equality Road Map is too general and insist on more efficient measures and better protection of the women in industry. On behalf of the European Committee, Meglena Kouneva accepted the comments of the 27 speakers, and promised at the plenary hall in Strassbourg that a network will be established in 2008 for the women on managerial positions and that the legislative grounds for equal pay will be revised.