Gender equality is one of the fundamental values of the European Union (EU). The EU is dedicated not only to defending this right, but also to promoting gender equality within the Member States and across the world. This is the core aim of the European Commission’s strategic engagement for gender equality 2016-20191. In addition, the strategic engagement ensures that a gender equality perspective is integrated into all EU policies and EU funding programmes. This '2018 report on equality between women and men in the EU' takes stock of the main initiatives launched or accomplished in 2017 in the five thematic areas of the strategic engagement: (1) equal economic independence of women and men; (2) equal pay for work of equal value; (3) equality in decision-making; (4) ending gender-based violence; and (5) promoting gender equality beyond the EU. It focuses in particular on: key trends and the newest available data on the Strategic engagement indicators; actions in the EU, focusing on the achievements by EU Member States and the EU institutions; inspiring practices, innovative projects and successful policies. The report focuses on short-term developments over the last 12 months, but also on medium-term changes since 2010 which could evolve into longer-term developments.

Equality between women and men is one of the EU's fundamental values and its promotion is an obligation enshrined in the Treaty. To fulfil this obligation, the European Commission adopted the 2010-2015 Strategy for equality between women and men as a coherent framework to guide its action over a number of years. The present report takes stock of the EU's achievements in 2015 in the six priority areas outlined in the Strategy. It also provides a reference point for monitoring and assessing future developments and contains statistics on Member States' starting points. By highlighting good practices in Member States and innovative projects that the EU has promoted or supported, the report also aims to be a source of inspiration for future work.

The library of the Court of Justice of the European Union undertakes to acquire as complete a collection as possible of the literature on the legal aspects of European integration and to make it accessible bibliographically. Since 1981, an annual bibliography of books and contributions to periodicals and joint works has been compiled on the basis of the library’s acquisitions in the relevant year.

These videos depict projects funded through the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey. Projects from Croatia, the EU‘s newest member as of the 1st of July 2013, are also documented. EU funding is a catalyst for reforms and improvement of the overall conditions in the enlargement countries; playing a key role on their journey to EU membership. The videos show some of the visible results: new job and learning opportunities, improved infrastructure, better environmental protection, enhanced food security, safer borders. These have an impact on both the enlargement region and the EU Member States. An investment in pre-accession assistance is an investment in Europe itself

The library of the Court of Justice of the European Union undertakes to acquire as complete a collection as possible of the literature on the legal aspects of European integration and to make it accessible bibliographically. Since 1981, an annual bibliography of books and contributions to periodicals and joint works has been compiled on the basis of the library’s acquisitions in the relevant year.

This publication presents a collection of excellent projects that were awarded the European Language Label (ELL) from 2006 to 2013. The Label is the successful result of a pilot project launched by the European Commission (EC) in 1998 following the recommendations of the 1995 White Paper on Teaching and Learning. Over the years the Label has evolved to follow the European goals in the field of multilingualism and the ambitious objective of ‘mother tongue + 2’ by which all citizens should have the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills in two foreign languages in addition to their mother tongue. In this vein, since 2006 the European Language Label has been refocused to target annual European priorities, highlighting more the European dimension of the initiative and showcasing the good practice. To increase its outreach, the Label initiative was also extended with the introduction in each country or region of an annual prize for the individual having made the most progress in foreign language learning, and the best language teacher. The aim is to acknowledge and publicise success stories related to language learning or teaching. Thanks to its growth over the years, the Label is now rewarding innovative initiatives in the field of language teaching and learning at any level or phase of education and training and is a successful means to disseminate best practices as well as to promote public interest in improving language skills. The European Union is proud to have supported some of these excellent projects through the 7-year lifelong learning programme (LLP). From 2007 until 2013, the programme provided support for multilateral projects promoting language awareness and access to language learning resources and aiming to develop or share language learning materials, including online courses and instruments for language testing. It also fostered multilateral networks promoting language learning and linguistic diversity, supporting the exchange of information about innovative techniques and good practices, especially among decision‑makers and key education professionals. Marking the end of the lifelong learning programme and its contribution to the European Language Label, this publication illustrates the significant amount of work, engagement, commitment and enthusiasm behind the success of the Label. The 85 projects presented here have been selected by the national authorities responsible for the organisation of the national Label awards according to the European priorities which were identified over time.

The Report on equality between women and men 2014 presents the latest figures illustrating the most recent developments. The report presents key EU actions on gender equality, which combine legislation, policy measures and funding. It includes projects at national and grass-roots level, highlighting the joint efforts by the EU and its Member States. In line with its obligations under the treaties, the EU promotes gender equality in all its activities, from education to work, from research to external policy.

It is increasingly recognised that discrimination can occur on the basis of more than one ground. A person who is discriminated against on grounds of her race might also suffer discrimination on grounds of her gender, her sexual orientation, her religion or belief, her age or her disability. Such discrimination can create cumulative disadvantage. Thus ethnic minority women, older women, black women and disabled women are among the most disadvantaged groups in many EU Member States. Similar cumulative disadvantage is experienced by gay or lesbian members of ethnic minorities; disabled black people; younger ethnic minority members or older disabled people. The report begins by briefly defining its terms and setting out the problems the concept of intersectionality aims to address. There are several different ways of conceptualising discrimination when it occurs on more than one ground. Terms such as ‘multiple discrimination,’ ‘cumulative discrimination,’ ‘compound discrimination,’ ‘combined discrimination’ and ‘intersectional discrimination’ are often used interchangeably although they might have subtly different meanings. There is no single settled terminology, either within legal systems or in the literature. Generally, however, there are three main ways in which such discrimination may manifest itself. The first is when a person suffers discrimination on different grounds on separate occasions. For the purposes of this report, this type of discrimination will be called ‘sequential multiple discrimination.’ A second manifestation occurs when a person is discriminated against on the same occasion but in two different ways. For example, a gay woman might claim that she has been subject to harassment both because she is a woman and because she is gay. Such discrimination can be said to be ‘additive’, in that each type of discrimination can be proved independently. For the purposes of this report, this type of discrimination will be called ‘additive multiple discrimination.’ The third manifestation is, however, of a different order in that discrimination does not simply consist in the addition of two sources of discrimination; the result is qualitatively different, or, as Crenshaw terms it, ‘synergistic.’1 For example, black women may experience discrimination in a way which is qualitatively different from either white women or black men. Black women share some experiences in common with both white women and black men, but they also differ in important respects. Thus while white women may be the victims of sex discrimination, they may also be the beneficiaries and even the perpetrators of racism. Conversely, black men may experience racism but be the beneficiaries and perpetrators of sexism. It is this type of discrimination which is the subject of this thematic report. It is usually referred to as ‘intersectional discrimination’ and it is this terminology which will be used in this report.

The key purpose of this study is to assist DG Justice and Consumers in reviewing the strengths and weaknesses of the Strategy for equality between women and men 2010-2015 as implemented up to June 2014 in order to draw lessons for a possible new policy framework. The study covers all six priority areas of the Strategy and provides: i. assessment of the achievements of the Strategy in relation to its objectives in the six priority areas and their relevance in addressing current needs (Chapter 2); ii. discussion of the role of the Strategy according to key stakeholders and whether it is perceived as a coherent framework (Chapter 3); iii. assessment of the role of funding for gender equality by dedicated budget support in the previous multiannual financial framework (2007- 2013) and the prospects for the 2014-2020 period (Chapter 4); iv. concluding remarks on the Strategy’s main strengths, weaknesses and value added, as well as some indications emerging from the analysis and stakeholders indications in relation to any new policy framework (Chapter 5). The assessment is based on a desk review of existing documents, as well as the results of an on-line survey conducted by the Commission’s services between June and August 2015 among the members of the High Level Group for Gender Mainstreaming. Given the nature of the assessment carried out and the necessity to take into account all the other intervening factors (in primis the financial end economic crisis and the austerity measures) that may account for the changes that have occurred in gender equality conditions, it is not possible to assess the contribution of the Strategy to reaching the ultimate expected outcomes. For these reasons, the assessment conducted focuses mainly on the Strategy outputs and immediate outcomes, and provides a qualitative indication of the extent to which the Strategy could contribute to achieving its objectives. The analysis of stakeholders’ perceptions provides additional inputs for the final assessment.