Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, working for an increase in the number of women on boards of administration in the corporate sector, had to postpone the announcement of a respective draft directive until 14 November, due to the lacking support of some of her fellow Commissioners.
This, of course, has found a very negative echo among the EWL (European Women’s Lobby), who says to be “extremely disappointed with the recent developments”. They claim that the initial conception of the directive has already been changed so much (only non-executive posts will be covered and sanctions left to the member states) as to have no real effect whatsoever.
In an article of 24 October, the EWL firmly reminds the EU of its fundamental value and task to promote equality. As it seems, it is the majority of the female Commissioners who are opposing the draft directive. They themselves, according to the EWL, have reached their positions owing to a 1/3 quota on the nominating Council in 2009, imposed by the EWL and the European Parliament. The EWL has sought support for its message in the media, e.g. The New York Times and Radio France International, in order to make this state of affair public.
