The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) is an autonomous body of the European Union, established to provide technical expertise on, improve knowledge around and raise the visibility of the issue of equality between men and women.
EIGE was established in May 2007 and is based in Vilnius, Lithuania. The recommendation to establish an institute for gender equality was taken at the European Council in Nice, which was held on 7–9 December 2000. A feasibility study was then conducted and the results were published in a report in 2002. The Council of the European Union welcomed this report and urged the Commission to move ahead on the proposal. In June 2004, the Council expressed support for the establishment of the European Institute for Gender Equality. This support was founded on the principle that while EU legislation and policies on equal treatment had substantially reduced discrimination, particularly in the area of employment, progress was too slow and enhanced efforts were required. On 8 March 2005, the Commission formally adopted a proposal for the creation of a European institute, and over a year later, in December 2006, Vilnius was chosen as the location of the headquarters of the new body. Shortly afterwards, the European Parliament and the Council formally adopted the regulation on the establishment of the institute.
EIGE’s mission is ‘to become the European knowledge centre on gender equality’. Its objectives are to contribute to and strengthen the promotion of gender equality, including gender mainstreaming in all EU policies and the resulting national policies to combat sex-based discrimination. EIGE also aims to raise EU citizens’ awareness of gender equality by providing technical assistance to EU institutions, in particular the Commission and the authorities of the Member States, for the collection, analysis and dissemination of objective, reliable and comparable information and data on equality between men and women. These processes ensure the implementation of EU policy in the area of gender equality. The institute organises experts’ meetings, conferences and awareness campaigns; provides documentation resources accessible to the public; carries out surveys on gender equality issues; and coordinates a European network on gender equality. It carries out its activities independently in the public interest. It cooperates with organisations in the Member States, such as equality bodies, research centres, non-governmental organisations and social partners, as well as with relevant organisations at European or international level and third countries.
Each year, EIGE publishes the Gender Equality Index, which is a tool to measure the progress of gender equality in the EU. The indicator gives more visibility to areas that need improvement and ultimately supports policymakers to design more effective gender equality measures.
EIGE consists of a management board (a decision-making body with 18 representatives from the Member States and one member representing the European Commission), a director (the executive body) and an experts’ forum (a consultative body). The institute adopts a three-year multiannual work programme. In 2021, for the first time, EIGE adopted a new approach to its work programme and focused its research on three priority topics during the planning period: gender-based violence, an economy that works for people and the European Green Deal. These topics reflect the Commission’s political guidelines and the priorities of the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025.
EIGE’s work is further supported by its cooperation with other EU agencies, including Eurofound and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, EU-level social partners (e.g. BusinessEurope and the European Trade Union Confederation) and relevant civil society organisations (e.g. the European Women’s Lobby, Social Platform and MenEngage).
Equal opportunities ; European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound); European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights; gender equality strategy ; gender mainstreaming
Eurofound (2022), European Institute for Gender Equality, European Industrial Relations Dictionary, Dublin
https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/en/european-industrial-relations-dictionary/european-institute-gender-equality