The two leaders expressed their harmony regarding the equality agendas and needs both at an EU level and in Member States.
Irene Montero reiterated Spain's commitment to the fight against all forms of male violence and her full support for the defence of the Istanbul Convention, recalling that "Europe with equality is a stronger Europe". Similarly, she conveyed the Government of Spain's commitment to strengthen the development and provisions of the State Pact to Combat Gender-based Violence. In this regard, Irene Montero stressed the importance of the Comprehensive Law to Guarantee Sexual Liberty as a legal framework that amounts to a major development of this Convention in Spain.
Commissioner Dalli, for her part, conveyed her wish to see the EU ratify the Istanbul Convention, guaranteeing a common framework in the fight against male violence. She also stated that the EU would make a major effort to impose wage transparency and fight the wage gap.
On this matter, Irene Montero pointed to the progress that Spain will make in the labour market regarding the mandatory nature of equality plans in companies with more than 50 workers and in the development of a register that helps uncover the wage gap and makes all jobs more dignified while assigning them the same value, addressing the insecurity of those jobs that are traditionally carried out by women, who have proven themselves to be more essential than ever in the pandemic, many of them tied to care work, another of the main concerns and issues that they both addressed.
Commissioner Dalli congratulated Spain on its Contingency Plan to protect and care for victims of gender-based violence during the pandemic, quoting it as an example of a good practice in its consideration of care and protection measures as essential services, as well as the implementation of electronic means to offer support and care for victims. Commissioner Dalli also welcomed the regulatory development of equality plans that will be mandatory to introduce in companies with more than 50 workers.
The minister expressed Spain's firm commitment to the European Gender Equality Strategy, and to a way out of the COVID-19 crisis that places the defence of women's rights at its core, as well as the necessary social transformations to enhance social justice. In this regard, the two leaders expressed their concern over discourse that denies such equality and urged strengthening joint work to achieve this.
Non official translation
