Interim Report on Enlargement

Session of Tuesday, November 19, 2002

Emergency debate on the future of the enlarged European Union

Interim report on enlargement

Mr. President, Mr. Commissioner, Mr. President-in-Office of the Council, I would like, as the Chair of the European Parliament’s Women’s Committee, to express my deep satisfaction that we have finally reached the final stage for the enlargement of the Union and the foundation of a truly United Europe based on our shared values.

In this perspective, I believe that the women of Europe have a very important role to play, and it is finally time, in light of the new Constitutional Treaty of the Union, to place the issue of respect for women’s human rights and the practical implementation of the recognized principle of gender equality at the top of the political agenda in all areas of Europe’s economic, social, and political life. Unfortunately, we are still far from this vision, and this became particularly evident this morning during the discussion in this chamber, where the list of speakers gave the impression of a men’s club, where women are a rare species.

I express strong concern about the situation of women in many candidate countries, where their status has not improved with the transition to the free market. Unemployment and wage disparities have increased. The infrastructure for the care of children and the elderly is being downgraded, while human trafficking, the commercialization of women and children by internationally organized criminal networks, has reached explosive proportions.

As the Women’s Committee, we have repeatedly emphasized that the effective implementation of measures against sexual exploitation and violence against women must be at the heart of the enlargement process. We also stress once again that political parties and governments should promote the equal participation of women and men in decision-making processes. No policy can be credible if it does not promote gender equality in decision-making and in the design of the future. Political parties and governments must send balanced gender representation to the European Parliament elections in 2004. Enlargement is an opportunity for deepening democracy. I also believe that gender equality is not a needless luxury, but a necessity for improving the quality of decisions, for greater understanding of contemporary issues, and for the more effective functioning of our democracy.