'What has the EU ever done for us?'

Is the EU women-friendly? Patricia Hewitt, Minister for Women, believes so. Read her piece for iVillage and see if you agree

womenBritain's membership of the EU brings benefits for everyone in the UK. But we - in Government and in the media - haven't always succeeded in making people aware of them.

Foreign Office research shows that British women are far more sceptical about Europe than men. They also feel less well-informed: 28% claim to know nothing about the EU (compared to 13% of men), with the widest knowledge gap between women and men under 35.

womenWhy is this? The EU has delivered many practical benefits for women of all ages - more opportunities at work, less red tape for entrepreneurs, protection for families, cheaper prices, easier travel. The cost of plane tickets to the rest of Europe has halved in the last ten years, thanks to EU competition rules in the travel industry. The single market means lower prices - phone calls across Europe have halved in cost since 1998.

We need to focus on these real advantages if we want to make people more aware of the EU. So I want to highlight the ways in which the EU helps people in their everyday lives, and let them know how they can take full advantage of the opportunities available to them:

  • If you are an employee
  • If you are a mother
  • If you are a businesswoman
  • If you are a student

  • Add your voice to the debate

    If you are an employee:

  • The EU has always been at the forefront of equal opportunities legislation. Equal pay for men and women is required by EC Law. The Equal Treatment Directive 1976, which was revised in 2002, outlaws sex discrimination at work - including discrimination against pregnant women.

  • The Working Time Directive, which has been in force for four years, limits the average working time for employees to 48 hours. It also laid down regulations on breaks during the working day, and on the right to four weeks' paid holiday.

  • The Social Chapter provides the same rights for part-time workers (the majority of whom are women) as full-time workers. Further information on equal opportunities legislation can be found here

    If you are a mother:

  • Parental leave has been introduced for the first time, giving parents up to four weeks' unpaid leave in one year to care for a child or to make arrangements for a child's welfare. It helps working parents balance work and home life.

  • Under the EU Directive 96/34/EC, the Government announced in April last year changes to the parental leave entitlement. These changes came into force on 10 January 2002 under The Maternity and Parental Leave (Amendment) Regulations 2001. The new rules extended parental leave from 13 weeks to 18 weeks for parents of disabled children.

  • The Pregnancy Directive 1992 provides 14 weeks paid maternity leave. In 1999, a European Council Directive provided parental leave for both men and women.

  • EU regulations mean that consumers have full product information - food must display 'best before' markings and full lists of ingredients, colourings and additives. There are strict safety standards for toys.

  • Thanks to collaborations between police forces and customs officials in different countries, made possible by the EU, there are fewer drugs on Britain's streets. Domestic crime has also been addressed via the EU's Daphne Programme, which has funded 222 projects across the EU that fight violence against women and children.

  • The regulations also extended entitlement to parental leave to parents of all children who were under five on 15 December 1999 when the right was first introduced.

    If you are a businesswoman:

  • The EU has made it easier to trade throughout Europe, including cutting red tape for people who want to export to other countries. Take Madi Sharma of Original Eastern Foods. Thanks to the EU's Single Market, Madi has been able to expand from a small business making samosas for local shops to building business links with retailers across Europe, in a very short space of time.

  • There are many sources of business advice from the EU, including:

    Euro Info Centres, which inform, advise and assist businesses in all EU matters.

    Dialogue with Business, which provides help on doing business in the single market, advice on certifying new products and setting up business links in the EU, and information about the European Internal Market.

    CORDIS, the Community Research & Development Information Service, which provides information for small businesses on a vast range of European research and development.

    If you are a student:

  • You can travel, study and live anywhere in the EU without a visa.

  • The EU's ERASMUS programme helps students in higher education to study in another EU country. More than 10,000 UK students study in another EU member state each year - the largest number across the EU.

  • The Leonardo da Vinci programme provides grants for students to have work experience and training in other European countries.

    We also need to make sure people are involved in the debate about Europe's future. The Convention on the Future of Europe is currently looking at how the EU might operate after enlargement (up to 10 new countries will join the EU in 2004). It is also looking at how the EU can better communicate with the citizens of Europe. Women should play a strong part in this debate. A good starting point is the Future of Europe website, which provides links to discussion forums and to all the key participating organisations, from think tanks to charities.

    I'd be delighted to hear any suggestions you might have on how we can make Europe more relevant for people in their everyday lives. We're determined to make the EU an institution for its people, not its governments.