“We can no longer ignore that too many women in Europe do not feel safe. Too many experience harassment and violence. EU countries need to step up their efforts to better support women. We need to do much more to tackle violence against women and honour their rights. And we need to do it now,” said FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty.

FRA’s ‘Crime, safety and victims’ rights’ report reveals that:

• Harassment – over one in four women (28%) were victims of harassment in the year before the survey. Women experience more sexual harassment than men and mostly in public.
• Violence – most often a family member or a relative (30%) attacks the woman, and in most cases in their home (35%). A high proportion of victims suffer from psychological after effects.
• Worry about crimes – to protect themselves, 83% of young women limit where they go or with whom they spend their time.
• Underreporting – over two out of three women (68%) did not report incidents of violence to the police. This confirms that official statistics on reported crime significantly underestimate the extent of violence against women.

These figures corroborate the findings of FRA’s 2012 violence against women survey. They also underpin why countries should offer better support to women. Such support should take into account the specific needs of women victims when it comes to legal sanctions against perpetrators, education and training for police officers as well as legal and healthcare professionals.

Countries should also boost measures that seek to prevent violence against women. Campaigns that confront men’s violence against women and educate men, who are mostly the perpetrators, are examples of how to provide preventative support.

The EU Victims’ Rights Directive and strategy offer a clear way forward to protect and empower victims. This ranges from training and guidance on how to identify and help victims to targeted support for women victims, including shelters and reporting mechanisms.

The newly-established Victims’ Rights Platform should further bolster efforts to guarantee the rights of women and better protect them from the widespread violence and harassment that continues to blight their lives.

For more information, contact media@fra.europa.eu or call +43 1 58030 653.

Sunday 7 March 2021
Rwanda
Visit to the Mayange Health Center, in the Bugesera District
Meeting with President Paul Kagame and with Secretary General of Organisation internationale de la francophonie (OIF) Louise Mushikiwabo

Monday 8 March 2021
Kigali, Rwanda
Wreath laying ceremony at the Kigali Genocide Memorial
Visit of the Westerwelle Startup Haus

Tuesday 9 March 2021
Nairobi, Kenya
Meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta
Visit of the Kenya Climate Innovation Centre (KCIC)

The Council of the EU gave its approval to the joint declaration on the Conference on the Future of Europe, aimed at involving citizens in a wide-ranging debate on Europe’s future in the coming decade and beyond, including in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The joint declaration of the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission sets out the objectives, structure, scope and timing of the Conference.

Our Union has brought 70 years of peace and prosperity. To learn from the crises, to face the challenges ahead of us, to strengthen our European solidarity and to build our common future, we must reflect on our Union together, closely involving citizens, civil society and national parliaments.

Ana Paula Zacarias, Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs

A stronger voice for citizens

The Conference on the Future of Europe will give citizens a greater role in shaping the Union’s future policies and ambitions, improving its resilience. A series of events will be organised by the three institutions, where citizens will have the chance to express their views on the issues that matter to them. The Conference is an opportunity to underpin the democratic legitimacy and functioning of the European project as well as to uphold EU citizens’ support for our common goals and values. An interactive multilingual digital platform will help with the organisation of the debates across the Union.

Scope of the debates

The scope of the Conference should reflect the areas where the European Union has the competence to act, or where EU action would benefit European citizens, focusing on topics that truly matter to citizens, with long lasting impacts and wide outreach. The Conference will facilitate a discussion of the challenges the EU is facing, including those brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Reflecting the Strategic Agenda of the EU, it should also address policy topics such as climate change, economic and social issues, and the digital transformation. Citizens are free to raise additional issues that matter to them.

Structure

The Conference will be placed under the authority of the three institutions, represented by the President of the European Parliament, the President of the Council and the President of the European Commission, acting as its joint presidency.

The work of the presidency will be supported by an executive board, composed of three representatives and four observers from each institution. National Parliaments will be closely involved, as well as other bodies or groups, notably the Committee of Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee.

The Council will be represented in the executive board by its Presidency – which will act as co-chair of the executive board – and the two incoming presidencies. The four following presidencies will be observers.

Throughout the governance structures of the Conference, the principles of equal participation of the three institutions and decisions by consensus will apply. At least every six months, there will be a meeting of the Conference plenary, composed of representatives from the three institutions as well as representatives from national Parliaments, citizens and other stakeholders.

Next steps

The joint declaration will be signed by the Presidents of the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission, acting as joint chairs.

The Conference will then start its work, and a formal event is envisaged tentatively on 9 May, Europe’s day, in Strasbourg.

The Conference is expected to reach conclusions to provide guidance on the future of Europe by Spring 2022.

The location and the format (physical or virtual) indicated for each meeting are subject to change.

Informal video conference of justice ministers, 11 March 2021

Ministers will have an exchange of views on the retention of electronic communication data. They will also discuss the new strategy for the Charter of Fundamental Rights with the director of the Fundamental Rights Agency.

Informal video conference of home affairs ministers, 12 March 2021

Home affairs ministers will discuss the proposed directive on the resilience of critical entities, enhancing cooperation on return and readmission and enhancing EU-North Africa countries cooperation.

Informal video conference of employment and social policy ministers, 15 March 2021

Ministers will hold debates on the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, equality in the EU, and policies in the context of Recovery and Resilience Plans.

Informal video conference of foreign affairs and home affairs ministers, 15 March 2021

Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Ministers will discuss the external dimension of the EU’s migration policy.

Informal video conference of economic and finance ministers, 16 March 2021

Ministers will discuss the state of play on digital taxation and issues related to economic recovery in Europe. They will also focus on the conclusions on the retail payments strategy and international meetings.

Informal video conference of health ministers, 16 March 2021

Ministers will discuss the way ahead in relation to COVID-19 and Europe’s beating cancer plan.

Informal video conference of environment ministers, 18 March 2021

Ministers will exchange views on the role of the Recovery and Resilience Facility in the context of Greening the European Semester. Ministers will also hold a policy debate on batteries and waste batteries and an exchange of views on the Strategy on adaptation to climate change.

Today’s updates include DVC data and calculations for the period 1 December 2019 to 30 November 2020, 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020 and 1 February 2020 to 31 January 2021 as well as updates to already published DVC periods.

The number of new breaches is 111: 100 equities for the 8% cap, applicable to all trading venues, and 11 equities for the 4% cap, that applies to individual trading venues. Trading under the waivers for all new instruments in breach of the DVC thresholds should be suspended from 10 March 2021 to 9 September 2021. The instruments for which caps already existed from previous periods will continue to be suspended.

ESMA highlights that none of the previously identified breaches of the caps proved to be incorrect thus no previously identified suspensions of trading under the waivers had to be lifted.

As of 5 March 2021, there is a total of 185 instruments suspended.

In consequence of Brexit, from 5 March 2021 the individual publication files do not contain ISINs admitted to trading or traded only on UK trading venues. However, ISINs admitted to trading or traded both on EEA and UK trading venues are included. Furthermore, all EU Level suspension are applicable only on EEA trading venues.

ESMA does not update DVC files older than 6 months.

Further information:

Dan Nacu-Manole

Communications Officer

✆   +33 (0)1 58 36 52 06

@   press@esma.europa.eu