Equal Opportunities Committee, 06 Nov 2007

Meeting date: Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Official Report 195KB pdf

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European Union

Agenda item 4 concerns the European Union. We have a detailed paper, which contains a lot of information. Do members have any comments or questions?

The paper was very helpful. It is detailed and complicated, and it is important that members of all committees are aware of the subject. There may be nothing on which the Equal Opportunities Committee can contribute at the moment because there are no green papers that we could feed into, but I wondered whether we should timetable a session to look at the annual reports, such as the annual report on equality between women and men, which is coming out in spring, and the gender road map. It might be useful for us to be aware of those reports and consider them.

I have an observation on the areas that are highlighted in Europe. We had a big inquiry about disability, but it does not seem to be top of the agenda for the European Commission. I thought that we could perhaps help out the EU because we have done such a huge inquiry. It seems that sexual orientation, disability and age are less well covered than other strands.

That is a point well made, and there is an opportunity to proffer best practice and put proposals to the EU. As we progress with our assessment of the recommendations, we could consider that.

An official from the European Commission has been asked to attend our round-table discussion on 27 November. Some of the content of the paper and the issues that are highlighted in it could be put to him then. In the meantime, with the proviso that we note members' comments, are we content to note the paper?

Members indicated agreement.

That concludes the public part of the meeting.

Meeting continued in private until 12:58.