EUROPEAN UNION'S 2009 GENERAL BUDGET

15/09/2008: The draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2009 was adopted unanimously, by the 'Women's rights and gender equality committee of the European Parliament.

The adopted amendments tabled by Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou (GR, EPP-ED), refer to:

• The horizontal application to the entire PROGRESS programme (employment, social protection and social inclusion, working conditions, non-discrimination and diversity) of the principle of equality between women and men.

• The evaluation by the European Commission of the budget for human resources responsible for the evaluation of projects in the framework of the Daphne III programme (Fight against violence), in order to increase its efficiency.

• An increased use of the Structural Funds by Member States, in the framework of the European Social Fund, and a more balanced distribution of the budget lines as a means to promote equality between women and men.

Particularly concerned about the situation of children and adults suffering from 'dys' disorders and disabilities, the Greek MEP successfully maintained within the text the relevant budgetary lines for development of European policies assisting these groups, especially in view of a financial mechanism for children suffering from 'dys' disorder and disabilities, and their parents.

Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou's achievement was to usefully change the initial text in various fields such as intergenerational solidarity, men's input in the education of children, conciliation between family life and professional life and the acknowledgement of women's informal labour in view of putting forward its economic value.

The members of the women's rights committee adopted a pilot project presented by Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou. The project aims at implementing funding in order to guarantee the promotion of a better support to the educators and parents of 'dys' individuals, in respect of the principle of equality between women and men.
In that perspective, the pilot project underlines the necessity to raise awareness about the persistent inequalities between 'dys' individuals, on the discrimination towards carers and families, and the need to inform society on 'dys' problems.
Moreover, it highlights the importance of the exchange of good practices and the promotion of cooperation between organisations active in the area of 'dys' problems.

For further information:
Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou MEP
Tel: +32-2-2847447 Fax: +32-2-2849447
E-mail: marie.panayotopoulos-cassiotou@europarl.europa.eu

Notes to Editors:
The EPP-ED Group is the largest political group in the European Parliament with 288 Members from all 27 Member States.

MEASURES TO IMPROVE EQUALITY BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN

17/07/2008: The report on Equality Between Women and Men 2008 was adopted today by the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality. The report reiterates the dual nature of gender mainstreaming at EU level, on the one hand ensuring equality between women and men in all policy areas and, on the other hand, targeted measures to curb discrimination against women. These measures include awareness-raising campaigns, the exchange of best practices, dialogues with citizens and public-private partnership initiatives.

EPP-ED Shadow Rapporteur, Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou, stressed: The report gives special importance to combating violence against women and calls on the Member States and the Commission to take new adequate measures. It also considers that women's participation in decision-making at local, national and EU levels and in NGOs is insufficient and therefore asks for actions to improve the situation. The report also calls for measures to improve the situation of women in the labour market, the quality of employment, and the participation in lifelong programmes and pays special attention to disabled women, women with dependants, elderly women, minority and immigrant women.

The report draws attention to the feminisation of poverty, when women, especially elderly women and single mothers, are at risk of exclusion and poverty. Furthermore, it recognises the key role of reconciliation between work, private and family lives and asks for best practices for an effective work-life balance and greater involvement of men in family life. In this framework, the report calls on regional and local authorities to improve the quality and accessibility of child services and those responsible in companies to include workforce management plans to make it easier for employees to return to work after a career break.

Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou MEP, concluded: "The Communication is quite declarative and repeats previous European engagements without real innovation. The increase of women in the labour market has not been accompanied by the expected rise in the quality of their activities. The EP calls on the Commission and the Member States to improve their access and participation, especially in sectors such as high-technology, research, science and engineering, in which they are under-represented. Appropriate measures should be undertaken in order to tackle stereotypes at all levels of education and employment. The increase of the quality of employment will be the result of lifelong learning and education programmes at every level. Social partners, civil society and media should help to raise awareness in this matter. Moreover, attention must be given to the situation of spouses helping in sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, the crafts industry, small family businesses and trade. Finally, the EP report underlines that the role of men is essential in the promotion of equality."

DISCRIMINATION AND EXCLUSION OF CHILDREN WITH 'DYS'ABILITIES

29/10/2007: Following the adoption of Written Declaration 64/2007, the Intergroup on Family and Protection of Childhood met on the 24th of October under the presidency of Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou MEP (EPP-ED, GR) in order to exchange views on the better recognition of learning disorders with the purpose of improving the living conditions of children with "dys"abilities and their families.

The meeting, which gathered MEPs, representatives of DG Employment and DG Education of the European Commission, doctors, parental and educational organisations as well as youth associations, highlighted the necessity to provide early and multidisciplinary treatment for learning disorders at medical, educational and social level with the view to eliminating the existing discriminations and enable the full and equal participation of "dys"-children in society and later on in the labour market.

The representative of DG employment recalled that the European Commission has committed to ensure the promotion of equal opportunities for all and has recently launched an impact assessment on the different kinds of discrimination in the labour market. He underlined that despite the fact that there are no specific actions relating to "dys"-children, the PROGRESS Programme for social inclusion can finance actions of Non-Governmental Organisations in favour of those children and their families as well as promote lifelong learning measures adapted to the specific needs of people suffering from learning disorders. The representative of DG Education insisted on the importance of intensifying the collection of statistics and the establishment of common indicators on "dys"abilities in order to better target the actions and policies. He recalled the fundamental role of trans-national cooperation among different organisations for the exchange of good practices and the setting-up of projects at European level.

In the framework of the discussions on the relevance of recognising "dys"abilities as a handicap, Professor Dattke from the Theodor-Hellbrügge Stiftung in Germany, stated that children with "dys"abilities constitute a very diversified group and thus require a distinctive and personal treatment. He underlined the need for close collaboration between the medical team and the parents in order to identify and treat as early as possible the learning disorders. Commissioner Kyprianou, who could not be present at the meeting, had sent a letter presenting DG SANCO's planned actions, thus enriching the debate on the medical treatment of "dys"children.

Following the testimony of the President of the Association Groupe d'Ados Dys, which is present in various French cities, Mrs Panayotopoulos pointed out that "the coordination and increased use of European programmes for social inclusion and lifelong learning, the Health Strategy for 2008-2013 and new technologies, offer new perspectives for the better exploitation of the potential of people suffering from learning disorders and the achievement of their personal and professional expectations."

For further information:
Tel: +32-2-2847447 Fax: +32-2-2849447
E-mail: marie.panayotopoulos@europarl.europa.eu

INTER-PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE OF THE UN DIVISION ON THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN

02/03/2006: On behalf of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality of the European Parliament, Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou MEP participated at the Conference "Gender Equality: making a difference through Parliament". The conference, organised by the Inter-parliamentary Union and the Division for the Advancement of Women on the occasion of the 50th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, took place at the UN Headquarters in New York on 1 March.

The conference focused mainly on the role of women in decision-making processes, and particularly their contribution in Parliament to raising awareness on the question of gender equality. Other issues included the partnerships which could be established with civil society.

In her capacity as representative of the European Parliament's Women's Rights Committee, Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou presented the activities of the Committee and the measures taken to promote the integration of the gender dimension into all community policies and programmes, an improved participation of women in decision-making processes at political, economic and social levels and the conciliation of family and professional life.

In conclusion, Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou underlined that the sessions of the UN Commission on the status of women and the meetings of the Inter-parliamentary Union give the opportunity to reiterate the necessity to establish a close, equal and fruitful collaboration between men and women in the decision-making process in order to preserve peace and promote security and justice both in local communities and at international level.