Focus EU op werkloosheid en meer vrouwen aan de top (en)

On 17 February in Brussels, the European ministers for employment and gender equality will discuss and exchange experiences on how the EU member states can create growth and employment as well as on how we may increase the number of women on company boards.

At the meeting the employment ministers will discuss the Europe 2020 strategy for the employment area.

Danish Minister for Employment Mette Frederiksen:

"We need to move more Europeans out of the unemployment line and into a job or an educational programme. Today, more than 23 million Europeans are without a job, and 7.5 million young people are neither working or in the process of completing an education. This is a tragedy for both the individual as well as the European countries. If we are to survive the crisis, we must go to extraordinary lengths and work together. And there is no doubt that there is plenty for us to learn from one another. Therefore, I look forward to the council meeting, were we will discuss and exchange experiences on how to promote growth and employment throughout Europe."

The Europe 2020 strategy is the basis for the work with identifying the main challenges and focus areas when it comes to creating growth and employment in Europe. At the council meeting, the ministers will contribute to the strategy and exchange experiences and good examples of how the countries can fight unemployment and increase the number of jobs.

In the gender equality area, an increase in the number of women on company boards is the business of the day.

Danish Minister for Gender Equality and Ecclesiastical Affairs Manu Sareen:

"We need more women on boards - in Denmark and across Europe. It is a matter of securing equal opportunities between women and men. Also, we need to capitalise on all human resources in order to ensure economic growth and prosperity. I am pleased that we now have an opportunity to gather European experience on what can be done to promote the representation of women on boards. I am certain the debate not only will bring forward which current initiatives work and doesn’t work but also inspire to new initiatives. There are plenty of good ideas, let’s bring them to the table."

Viviane Reding, vice president and commissioner responsible for gender equality, launched the voluntary “Women on the Board Pledge for Europe” in March 2011.

The results of these efforts, as well as the debate at the council meeting, will contribute to the Commission assessment of what can be done in the future to end the underrepresentation of women on boards.

Contact

Regarding women on company boards

Press coordinator Bodil Liv Holm, Ministry for Gender Equality and Ecclesiastical Affairs

Tel: + 45 22 68 85 69, email bolh@km.dk

Head of Section Theis Bødker Jensen, Ministry for Gender Equality and Ecclesiastical Affairs

Tel: +45 22 68 85 63

Regarding Europe 2020

Head of unit Lone Henriksen, Ministry of Employment

Tel: +45 72 20 51 10, email lhe@bm.dk

Press coordinator Jesper Tidemann Nielsen, Ministry of Employment

Tel: +45 22 56 53 38