COUNCIL DECLARATION

of 19 December 1991

on the implementation of the Commission recommendation on the protection of the dignity of women and men at work, including the code of practice to combat sexual harassment

(92/C 27/01)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Considering that on 29 May 1990 the Council adopted a resolution on the protection of the dignity of women and men at work (1);

Considering that on 27 November 1991 the Commission made a recommendation on the protection of the dignity of women and men at work (2), to which is annexed a code of practice to combat sexual harassment;

Considering that on 21 May 1991 the Council adopted a resolution on the third medium-term Community action programme on equal opportunities for women and men (1991 to 1995) (3);

Considering that the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee have adopted respectively on 22 October 1991 a resolution (4) and on 30 October 1991 an opinion (5) on the protection of the dignity of women and men at work;

Considering that the efforts already made to promote the integration of women on the labour market should be intensified and developed; considering that sexual harassment is a serious problem for many women working in the Community and an obstacle to their full integration into active life,

1. ENDORSES the general objective of the Commission recommendation;

2. INVITES THE MEMBER STATES to develop and implement coherent, integrated policies to prevent and combat sexual harassment at work, taking account of the Commission recommendation;

3. INVITES THE COMMISSION:

(a) to promote an adequate exchange of information with a view to developing existing knowledge and experience in the Member States as regards the prevention and combating of sexual harassment at work;

(b) to examine the assessment criteria for the evaluation of the effectiveness of the measures taken in the Member States, taking account of the criteria already in use there;

(c) to endeavour to implement the criteria referred to in (b) when drawing up the report referred to in Article 4 of the Commission recommendation;

(d) to submit the report referred to in Article 4 of the Commission recommendation to the European Parliament, the Council and the Economic and Social Committee not more than three years after the adoption of this declaration.

(1) OJ No C 157, 27. 6. 1990, p. 3.

(2) See page 4 of this Official Journal.

(3) OJ No C 142, 31. 5. 1991, p. 1.

(4) OJ No C 305, 25. 11. 1991.

(5) OJ No C 14, 20. 1. 1992.