EU top jobs

Today, the Greens/EFA Group organised a press conference with MEPs from the European Parliament's five largest political groups. They issued the following joint statement on gender balance in the EU's "top jobs" and in the composition of the new European Commission.

"After more than 50 years of gender equality treaty articles and legislation, the EU has still not achieved anything close to gender parity among its own top jobs, let alone in other areas of EU society. The EU loses credibility as a force fighting for gender equality when it cannot achieve such goals even within its own ranks.

The EU's top decision-makers should reflect the people they serve. Men have already been appointed to the presidencies of the Commission and Parliament. It is therefore inadmissible that so few female names are in the frame for the posts of Council President and foreign affairs high representative.

It is also unacceptable that only three of twenty-seven Member States have so far confirmed they will nominate a female Commissioner. The fewer the women in the proposed Commission, the greater its disadvantage when it is presented to the European Parliament for a vote of approval.

There is a shared responsibility for the composition of the new European Commission in terms of the quality of the candidates and its overall gender balance. The nominations by EU leaders are however critical and we call for action to ensure that more women are put forward for the EU's top jobs."

Rebecca Harms, Greens/EFA Co-President

Diana Wallis, ALDE, European Parliament Vice-President

Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, EPP-ED, European Parliament Vice-President and member of EP committee for women's rights and gender equality

Britta Thomsen, S&D, coordinator for EP committee for women's rights and gender equality

Ilda Figueiredo, GUE/NGL, member of the EP committee for women's rights and gender equality

Marije Cornelissen, Greens/EFA, member of EP committee for women's rights and gender equality