On discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024, Section I - European Parliament

OPINION

The Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following into its motion for a resolution:

A. whereas gender equality is an EU value and the Union is committed to promoting it in all activities;

B. whereas under Rule 249, the Bureau shall adopt a gender action plan to integrate a gender perspective into all Parliament’s activities;

C. whereas women remain under-represented in decision-making; whereas the 2024 elections reversed earlier gains, with 278 women (39 %) elected, slightly down from 2019;

D. whereas female politicians face higher levels of hate and intimidation than male counterparts;

E. whereas women are still underrepresented in some committees and overrepresented in others;

F. whereas Parliament has not established parental leave for Members, despite allowing proxy voting for female Members before and after childbirth;

1. Welcomes progress on gender mainstreaming and budgeting and the adoption of the 2025 Gender Action Plan; calls for it to be public, swiftly implemented and thoroughly assessed; urges consistent gender budgeting in Parliament’s budget;

2. Calls on the President to evaluate the drop in female Members in 2024 and fund campaigns encouraging women to enter EU politics; calls on national parties to adopt zipped lists and quotas;

3. Requests targeted emotional and legal support for Members confronted with harassment and hate;

4. Calls on the President and the Bureau to improve horizontal representation and gender balance across committees, including considering gender quotas for coordinators, rapporteurs and shadow rapporteurs;

5. Welcomes the position on proxy voting for female Members before and after birth; calls for extending proxy voting to all new parents and for establishing maternity, paternity and parental leave for Members.