Angelika Werthmann (NI), in writing. – The key to gender equality is the economic independence of men and women. The current economic crisis mainly hits male employment, but cuts in public spending are expected to have a disproportionate impact on female employment. The rapporteur suggests that efforts to improve labour-market participation and access to positions of power need to stay high on the agenda, with which I fully agree. Its adoption will improve equality between women and men in the European Union.