Joint Declaration
Equality between women and men is enshrined in the
European Union’s Treaties
as a
fundamental right, a value, and a goal of the Union. Nine in ten European citizens believe
that gender equality is important to ensure a fair and democratic society.
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Gender equality
is a vital aspect of all policy areas at both national and European level. The aim of this
Joint Declaration is therefore to reaffirm gender equality as a priority of the European
Union, including through the following actions:
Gender Equality as a Priority of
the European Union
today and in the future
We call for a
strong network and continuous dialogue
between all relevant actors in the
area of gender equality and for systematic and effective cooperation between the Member
States and the European Institutions. Our ambition is to actively facilitate regular exchan-
ges between relevant actors. Regular meetings of EU Ministers for Gender Equality and
active exchanges between the political level and relevant bodies such as the High Level
Group on Gender Mainstreaming, the European Institute for Gender Equality, and the
Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men are key in this regard.
Moreover we stress the impact of an active and regular involvement of gender equality ex-
pert bodies in the European Semester and cross-sectoral cooperation to promote gender
mainstreaming in all EU activities.
We commit to
use the momentum of the Trio Presidency
by visibly joining forces in a joint Trio declaration on gender equality;
by defining and strongly promoting shared priorities in the area of gender equality; inter
alia by including a gender equality perspective in high-level discussions and proposed
policy documents;
by promoting and supporting continuity beyond the Trio Presidencies, inter alia through
the exchange of good practices and lessons learned;
by adopting conclusions within the framework of the review of the implementation of
the Beijing Platform for Action; and
by following up on the commitments and indicators agreed upon in these conclusions.
We, the signatories, are committed to actively contribute to the implementation of the above
outlined actions with the aim of reaffirming gender equality as a priority of the European Union,
and call upon all Member States, and the EU institutions, committees and bodies to join us in
this effort.
We call for a
full realization of the dual approach
combining gender mainstreaming and
specific actions. Strengthening gender mainstreaming in all policy areas, especially by
including a gender equality perspective in high-level discussions and proposed policy
documents is essential. A gender perspective should be integrated in all key processes
concerning the future EU policies, including post-2020 programmes and funding. At the
same time, gender equality depends also on its prominence as a political stand-alone
goal, strong institutions and regular exchanges between relevant actors.
We call for a
high-level and stand-alone EU Gender Equality Strategy.
Such a strategy
is necessary for ensuring effective long-term planning and in order to better concentrate
efforts on common priorities. It is a prerequisite for meeting the needs and aspirations
of European citizens and for fostering a fair and democratic society at a time of rapid
change. A stand-alone Gender Equality Strategy would increase the visibility of the topic,
strengthen commitment and accountability, and allow for monitoring of progress with a
view to ensuring sustainable implementation.
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Special Eurobarometer 465 (2017)