European Parliament
A7-0160/2012
Jutta Steinruck  (S&D ),
in writing.
(DE)
2007 was the ‘European Year of Equal Opportunities’. Five years later and Europe is still at square one. It is true that we have established the legal principle of the same remuneration for men and women. Nonetheless, wage inequality for men and women still exists. We are making little or no progress. I am pleased, therefore, that, as well as setting targets, the rapporteur has also provided some specific, detailed recommendations in her report. We need collective redress when this principle of equal pay is violated. It must be possible to obtain prosecutions for wage discrimination. We are calling for awareness campaigns dealing with wage inequality for men and women. We need wage equality officers in the various Member States. This will enable progress in the Member States to be monitored more effectively. We need to make specific progress. In this case specific progress means pursuing legal initiatives requiring equal pay for men and women.

