PURPOSE : to establish a Programme relating to the Community Framework Strategy on gender equality.
COMMUNITY MEASURE : Council Decision 2001/51/EC establishing a Programme relating to the Community framework strategy on gender equality 2001-2005.
CONTENT : this Decision establishes, for the period from 01.01.2001 to 31.05.2005, a Community Action Programme, with a financial framework of EUR 50 million for the foreseen period.
The Programme is one of the instruments necessary for the implementation of the overall Community strategy on gender equality, which embraces all Community policies and action aimed at achieving gender equality, including gender mainstreaming policies and specific actions targeted at women. It shall coordinate, support and finance the implementation of horizontal activities under the fields of intervention of the Community framework strategy on gender equality. These fields of intervention are: economic life, equal participation and representation, social rights, civil life, gender roles and stereotypes.
The main objectives of the programme are the following:
1) to promote and disseminate the values and practices underlying gender equality;
2) to improve the understanding of issues related to gender discrimination and multiple discrimination against women, by evaluating the effectiveness of policies and practice through prior analysis, monitoring their implementation and assessing their effects;
3) to develop the capacity of players to promote gender equality effectively, in particular through support for the exchange of information and good practice and networking at Community level.
With a view to achieving these objectives, the following Community actions will be implemented within a transnational framework:
a) raising awareness, primarily by emphasising the Community dimension of the promotion of gender equality and by publicising the results of the programme, in particular through publications, campaigns and events;
b) analysis of factors and policies relating to gender equality, including the collection of statistics, studies, gender impact assessment tools and mechanisms, development of indicators and benchmarks and effective dissemination of results. Ths will also include monitoring of the implementation and application of Community equality law by evaluating legislation and practice in order to assess their impact and effectiveness;
c) transnational cooperation between parties through the promotion of networking of experiences at Community level.
The Commission shall be responsible for the implementation of the Programme. The Commission and the Member States shall ensure consistency and complementarity between action undertaken under this Programme and other relevant Union and Community actions, such as those supported by the DAPHNE, STOP, PHARE and MEDA Programmes, the research framework programmes to combat social exclusion, the social agenda and the Community action programme to combat discrimination 2001-2006.
Furthermore, the participation of this programme shall be open to EFTA/EEA countries, the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, funded by additional appropriations in accordance with procedures to be agreed with those countries.
The Commission shall submit an interim report by 31.12.2003 at the latest to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of Regions. It shall submit a final evaluation report on the Framework Strategy by 31.12.2006 at the lastest. All evaluation reports shall indicate the extent to which funds have been made available to the Commission, the Member States and public bodies and to NGOs.
ENTRY INTO FORCE : 20.12.2000.�