Full Minutes of the Meetings

SESSION OF TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2003

Employment strategy and social policy

Karamanou (PSE). – Mr. President, Madam Commissioner, today we are discussing the future of the European employment strategy, at a time that is negatively charged by the looming war in Iraq, the rising oil prices, and the fiscal problems facing the countries of the eurozone.

Unfortunately, today there is no momentum in the labor market that could create many jobs. Regarding women, to whom you extensively referred, despite their increased participation in the labor market, at around 41%-42% of the total workforce, and the gradual integration of women into traditionally male-dominated sectors, the unemployment rates are strikingly higher than those of men.

The Lisbon objectives for improving the position of women in the labor market still seem quite distant, as unemployment among women remains about twice as high, 14.6 compared to 8.7 for men. We also find that exploitation has a female face, as more than 250,000 women work from home with no social protection whatsoever, while the black labor market of hundreds of thousands of foreign workers, mostly women, is flourishing, without their numbers being counted in the workforce or among the unemployed.

The European employment strategy recognizes the role that women can play in increasing employment rates, and we are pleased that it is moving in the direction of bridging the gap between men and women in terms of wages and women’s representation in all sectors. We are also pleased with the emphasis you, Madam Commissioner, place on the implementation of gender mainstreaming in all areas. However, these low levels of female representation show that more momentum is needed, along with the evaluation of the policies that are already being implemented. Above all, measurable qualitative and quantitative targets need to be set at both the European and national levels. For example, we could set a target by 2010 to halve the current wage gap between men and women, as well as in areas such as vocational training, pensions, promotions, and the duration of women’s participation in the labor market.

I hope that the next Spring Council will accept your proposals and that we will have the new national employment plans by the autumn, as you mentioned in your speech.