UPDATE: The Council’s Conclusions are now available.

Read the Council Conclusions in Full

“The Luxembourg Presidency considers gender equality as one of its top priorities in the area of R&I. In this context, the Presidency has proposed draft Council conclusions on this subject, which were discussed at the Research Working Party on 12 and 26 October and on 5 November 2015.”

 THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

1. UNDERLINES that gender inequalities have been persisting for too long and that future prosperity of Europe depends on scientific and technological innovation. Providing a more diverse workforce and a more equal playing field for women and men in R&I will allow Europe to fully exploit its pool of labour force and talent;

2. ACKNOWLEDGES that gender equality in science will contribute to diversity, excellence and quality in outcomes and make research more responsive to social and societal challenges that are a shared responsibility between women and men. Making use of all talents and creating equal opportunities for men and women is not only a matter of fairness, but it is also an issue of economic efficiency. Embracing gender equality will contribute to EU competitiveness and to growth and job creation;

IMPLEMENTING THE ERA ROADMAP

3. REAFFIRMS its commitment to enhance gender equality in the European Research Area. RECOGNISES that the implementation of the  and the priority on gender equality offers an excellent opportunity to translate national equality legislation into effective action to address gender imbalances in research institutions and decision making bodies and integrate the gender dimension better into R&I policies, programmes and projects. ENCOURAGES Member States and the Commission to set ambitious goals on gender equality and to take appropriate and concrete actions in their action plans or strategies to implement the ERA Roadmap by mid-2016;

Read the Draft Conclusions in Full