Equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women: employment and occupation. Recast

2004/0084(COD)

PURPOSE : to simplify, modernise and improve EU legislation in the field of equal treatment for men and women in employment and occupational matters by creating a new, recast Directive.

LEGISLATIVE ACT : Directive 2006/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in matters of employment and occupation.

CONTENT : the objective of the Directive, which incorporates seven existing directives relating to equal opportunities and equal treatment into a single instrument, is to create more readable and accessible legislation, reduce uncertainty by incorporating relevant Court of Justice case law and to increase clarity.

The draft directive merges the following existing directives into one single instrument:

- Directive 75/117/EEC on equal pay;

- Directive 86/378/EEC, as amended by Directive 96/97/EC, on equal treatment in occupational social security schemes;

- Directive 76/207/EEC, as amended by Directive 2002/73/EC, on equal treatment of men and women;

- Directive 97/80/EC, as amended by Directive 98/52/EC, on the burden of proof in cases of discrimination based on sex.

The purpose of this Directive is to ensure the implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in matters of employment and occupation. To that end, it contains provisions to implement the principle of equal treatment in relation to:

- access to employment, including promotion, and to vocational training;

- working conditions, including pay;

- occupational social security schemes.

It also contains provisions to ensure that such implementation is made more effective by the establishment of appropriate procedures.

ENTRY INTO FORCE : 15/08/2006.

TRANSPOSITION : 15/08/2008.