8-10 July Social Affairs, Labour & Women's Ministers Informal Council

GENDER equality was the main subject discussed during the two-day meeting held in Vienna, at which the importance of 'mainstreaming' gender equality into all areas of EU policy-making was stressed.ON THE first day, ministers met representatives of the EU's social partners: the private sector employers' federation UNICE, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the CEEP, which represents public sector employers. The talks centred on ways in which all sides could ensure equality for men and women in the workplace.MINISTERS also held talks with representatives from the European Parliament. Discussions with members of the institution's women's rights committee centred on women's efforts to achieve equal recognition in the labour market and to ensure that men and women received the same pay for doing the same job. Ministers noted that this was not always the case at present.