Brussels, Berlin The EU Commission sees a new opportunity for a Europe-wide quota for women. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has discussed this with the French Presidency and with members of the Committee on Women’s Rights in the European Parliament.
Approval is certain among MPs. A completed position in the European Parliament has been in place for a year and a half. The French government is also considered a supporter of the project.
The fact that the EU Commission’s original draft dates back to 2012 and is still up-to-date shows that “this structural problem must be solved with structural measures,” said the family policy spokeswoman for the Green parliamentary group, Ulle Schauws, to the Handelsblatt.
Greens support the project from Brussels
Women should be represented wherever decisions are made. In terms of management positions in large companies, Germany is still a long way from achieving this. Other European countries also have some catching up to do when it comes to representing women on boardrooms. “My group therefore supports the EU directive for more women in management positions,” emphasized Schauws.
The liberals are more skeptical: “We need more women and diversity in management positions, that is completely undisputed – both for reasons of fair opportunities for women and men and the innovation and competitiveness of our companies,” said the spokeswoman for women’s policy and diversity of the FDP -Bundestag faction, Nicole Bauer, the Handelsblatt. However, from a liberal point of view, binding quotas and sanctions are not the right instruments.
What is needed is a cultural change that is initiated and supported by the company towards more diversity, flexibility and family-friendliness and a policy that creates the necessary framework conditions, for example through the modernization of the Working Hours Act and work models such as job sharing, a better work-life balance or incentives for a higher participation of women in the labor force, for example through the abolition of tax brackets three and five. The FDP MEP Svenja Hahn referred to the directive on wage transparency.
Family Minister Anne Spiegel (Greens) is responsible in Berlin. However, it is not free in its voting behavior. According to the coalition agreement, the government in Brussels wants to act as one, which is why the coalition partners are coordinating closely.
You are very pleased with the clear signal from the EU Commission chief to work with France to finally pass the directive, said Spiegel on request. “As Federal Minister for Women, I will work to ensure that Germany and other member states promote equality in Europe.”
The previous draft laws by the EU Commission and the European Parliament provide for a quota of women of 40 percent for the supervisory boards of listed companies in the EU. So far, a quota of 30 percent has applied in Germany. In addition, since last year there has also been a minimum composition for board members. There is currently no provision for this in the EU.
However, the quotas in Germany so far only apply to a limited group of companies that, in addition to being listed on the stock exchange, meet other conditions such as parity co-determination. “If the stock exchange listing were the sole criterion, more companies would be covered by the quota than with the current law,” said the deputy chairwoman of the German Trade Union Federation (DGB), Elke Hannack, the Handelsblatt. “The federal government should actively support the project.”
The SPD European politician sees von der Leyen herself in the blocking role
The EU member states could now agree to accept the present proposal, but they could also press for changes, such as a lower quota.
The SPD MEP Maria Noichl reproaches the CDU politician von der Leyen: “It is the very last thing when Ms. von der Leyen now pretends that she has nothing to do with the years of blockade,” she told Handelsblatt. “She is now releasing the handbrake that she previously held on with all her might.” It is a “lousy game” if the Commission President now portrays herself as a feminist.
In terms of content, the SPD welcomes the women’s quota, even if it could initially be lower than proposed: “The quota is like a cough syrup: it solves an unhealthy situation,” said Noichl.
More: Only a good quarter of top executives in private companies are women