European Union and Employment

Published by S. Mally, February 2010, Barcelona (Spain)

Last January 27th AFAEMME attended a conference about the Spanish Presidency of the European Union and about European Employment Policies, which were hold in the Headquarter of the European Institutions in Barcelona.

Speakers, mainly university professors and experts in economy and social affairs, highlighted that the European Union should coordinate efforts for facilitating its member States labour maximization, among others by facilitating women access to the labour market. Furthermore they strongly recommended to always considering labour policies together with economic polices and to coordinate both.

Attendants to the conference also get access to the Speech that the Secretary of State for the European Union, Diego López Garrido, held at the European Parliament on December 15th 2009, about the challenges and opportunities of the Spanish Presidency of the European Union. Important aspects of this speech were that one of the four main priorities of the Presidency is equality between women and men and that the protection and promotion of equality is also one of the two Presidency’s Guidelines. Besides, López Garrido also made reference to the strengthening of the competitiveness and the creation of quality employment and told that for achieving it social inclusion and a gender perspective of the strategy will be very important.