The gender dimension in the Europe 2020 strategy

Key points

The EESC:

• endorses and welcomes the principle that the Europe 2020 Strategy and the Strategy for equality between women and men should be mutually reinforcing;

• deems it essential to overcome the fact that the gender dimension is not specifically addressed in any of the Europe 2020's seven flagship initiatives. The gender dimension should therefore be systematically incorporated into the National Reform Plans (NRP) and the European semester;

• deems it important that the country-specific recommendations calling on the Member Stares to adjust their NRP to take into account the principle of gender equality are put into practice and followed through, which will require a consistent use of Community Funds, especially the European Social Fund;

• recommends that the next Multiannual Financial Framework (2014-2020) makes available adequate and specific funding to advance women's rights and gender equality;
• highlights the importance of the commitment for gender mainstreaming of the social partners at the European, national, regional and sectoral levels at all stages of implementation of the various policies within the Europe 2020 Strategy.