Stresses that internet access constitutes a new essential service, necessary for the whole world, men, women, boys and girls, with the internet now a key tool for the daily lives of individuals in family, work, study and learning contexts, for management within companies, public authorities, institutions and organisations, and for the workings of social networks and the promotion of equal opportunities.

Having regard to Articles 137(1)(c) and 141 of the EC Treaty and the principle of equal treatment (Articles 2, 3 and 13 of the EC Treaty ) and the secondary legislation based on this, in particular Council Directive 75/117/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the application of the principle of equal pay for men and women ; Council Directive 92/85/EEC on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health at work of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding ; Council Directive 96/97/EC amending Directive 86/378/EEC on the implementation o ...[+++]f the principle of equal treatment for men and women in occupational social security schemes ; and Directive 2006/54/EC on the implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in matters of employment and occupation (recast) .

For years now there have also been positive action programmes to promote the application of this principle in practice, bringing benefits to men as well as women.

The programme supports Member States' efforts in the area of equal opportunities for men and women, and has the following aims: - to promote integration of the equal opportunities dimension in all policies and activities; - to mobilize all the actors in economic and social life to achieve equal opportunities for men and women; - to promote equal opportunities in a changing economy, especially in the fields of education, vocational training and the labour market; - to reconcile working and family life for men and women; - to promote a gender balance in decision-making; - to make conditions more conducive to exercising equality rights ...[+++].

Community actions which may receive support under the programme will have to concern one or more of the following areas: - integration of the equal opportunities dimension in all policies and activities (mainstreaming) through the promotion and development of methods, strategies, models and studies; - employment and working life, namely: . education, training and continuing training and the promotion of equal opportunities in employment; . access to employment and conditions of employment; . promotion of economic independence; . vertical and horizontal desegregation of the labour market; . equal pay for equal work and work of equal ...[+++]value; . organization and flexibility of working life; . aspects linked with the working environment, including sexual harassment; . entrepreneurism; . reconciliation of professional and parental responsibilities, including the role of men; - promoting the balanced participation of men and women in decision- making, including in senior posts, through the development and monitoring of appropriate methods, strategies and actions; - information and research aimed at increasing knowledge and promoting favourable attitudes to equal opportunities; - better use and development of statistics broken down according to gender.

Commissioner Flynn made the following specific commitments for 1995 as regards equality issues : - the Commission will introduce a Code of Practice on equal pay for work of equal value; - there will be four items on equal opportunities on the Commission's Legislative Programme for 1995, namely the Fourth Programme on Equal Opportunities; the proposal for a directive to amend Directive 86/378 on equal treatment in matters of social security in order to take account of the Barber and post-Barber judgements; a proposal concerning the burden of proof in equal treatment cases and a proposal on the reconciliation of family and working life; ...[+++] - the Commission has also decided to produce a Memorandum setting out the present situation in the Community as regards procedures and remedies for the implementation of Community law on equal treatment".