MEPs call for quotas to achieve equality in business

EU legislation is needed to boost the number of women in decision-making positions, says a draft resolution approved by the European Parliament's Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee.

Women currently make up only 10% of the directors of the largest listed companies in the EU and only 3% of the CEOs of such companies are women. According to the resolution, it will take another fifty years before boardrooms have at least 40% of each gender.

MEPs call on the Commission to "propose legislation including quotas by 2012 for increasing female representation in corporate management bodies of enterprises to 30% by 2015 and to 40% by 2020".

At the same time, Member States should introduce special arrangements, such as childcare, care for the elderly and tax breaks for companies or other ways to help women and men in business to balance family and work commitments.