Reding report gets Marlene Mizzi's vote

At a morning seminar hosted by the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality, (NCPE) on the occasion of Women’s day, incumbent MEP Marlene Mizzi spoke as one of the panel members composed of prospective MEP candidates. She explained that although she is not in favour of imposed gender quotas, she voted in favor of the Reding report on gender equality on Boards, because she believes that by 2020, women will no longer need to be pushed and shoved into top positions.

The report, which was approved in the EP in November 2013, will see that 40% of Board members will be women by 2020 for publicly listed companies.

“If this report can help European women to achieve what the report aims to achieve, then who am I to obstruct this possibility? I do not agree with imposed quotas, never have and never will, but I will do what it takes to help deserving and capable women take up important and decision-making positions – only 16% of which are currently occupied by women. But the Reding report not only omits the word “quota’ from its text, but also redefines the concept. In fact it recommends equality for the unrepresented gender as the case may be. This applies even to cases where men are underrepresented ‘’

Marlene Mizzi also explained that when Commissioner Reding asked her to co-author an article with her, just before the vote was to be taken in the European Parliament late last year, Reding knew and respected Mizzi’s position.

“In order for me to agree to co-author the article, I amended the text to include the principle that meritocracy is not to be sacrificed for gender, and that meritocracy will be the most important aspect of any appointment – a concept which the Commissioner agreed to without any problems.”