EU – Baltic States, Legislation, Lithuania

European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE)

Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaite at the openning of the European Institute for Gender Equality.

The EIGE is a European agency created to support the Member States and the EU in their efforts to promote gender equality, to fight gender discrimination and to raise awareness about gender issues. Its tasks are to collect and analyse comparable data on gender issues, to develop methodological tools, in particular for the integration of the gender dimension in all policy areas, to facilitate the exchange of best practice and dialogue among stakeholders, and to raise awareness among EU citizens.

There are the following bodies of the Institute: Management Board (decision-making body), an Experts’ forum (consultative body), a Director (executive body) and her staff.

The Management Board adopts the annual work programme, the medium-term work programme as well as the Institute’s budget. The Experts’ forum supports the Director in ensuring the excellence and independence of the Institute. The Director, who is the legal representative of the Institute, is responsible for the daily management of the Institute and the implementation of the work programme.

The EIGE's Management Board, the Institute's decision-making body, will also convene its official 2009 meeting in Vilnius.

Commission’s opinion

 “Achieving more equality between women and men in Europe has been a key priority for the European Commission over the past five years. I congratulate the Institute on its opening in Vilnius and am certain that it will further strengthen our efforts to promote gender equality and fight discrimination across Europe over the coming years”.

Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Commissioner, Vladimir Špidla

The Institute's budget for the period 2007-2013 is about € 52, 5 mln and the Institute will employ approximately 30 staff during 2010. It is expected that the EU-27 national experts would actively participate in its work concerning gender equality.