Today, the European Commission launched its Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025, which outlines a set of key actions on gender equality and women`s empowerment. Under the lead of Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli, and with support of the newly created Task-Force on Equality, the Commission will integrate a gender perspective in all EU planned action, policy or programme, mainstreaming gender in all areas and at all levels before any decisions are made.
The strategy mainly features existing legislative plans that are blocked in the Council, including on women on boards (which was first proposed in 2012) and on tackling gender-based violence (which dates from 2014). The Commission will, however, for the first time propose "binding measures" on pay transparency "by the end of 2020." The BIC welcomes such a benchmarking commitment from the EU, but remains attentive as for how measures will be implemented and the timeframe for such actions to take place.