There are already a number of existing legal instruments for the implementation of the principle of equal treatment which cover self-employment activities, in particular Council Directive 79/7/EEC of 19 December 1978 on the progressive implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women in matters of social security and Directive 2006/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 on the implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in matters of employ ...[+++]ment and occupation .

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) .

15. Stresses that the pay gap between women and men remains stable at 16% in the 25-member EU, which clearly shows that there has been no real progress in the implementation of the principle of equal pay for work of equal value, which was introduced 30 years ago by Directive 75/117/EC; calls on the Commission to carry out a study on how and to what extent Member States actually apply the 'acquis' in the area of equality;

3. Welcomes the Commission Communication on the application of Directive 2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000 implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin (COM(2006)0643)), which seeks to establish a framework to combat discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin in order to ensure that the principle of equality before the law, equal opportunities and equal treatment is consolidated in the Member States, whilst fully complying with the principle of subsidiarity and respecting the various national traditions and procedures; while appreciating the overview of the implementation of the Dir ...[+++]ective contained in the Commission Communication, notes that it would also have been useful to have been provided with a detailed description of the way in which the provisions of Directive 2000/43/EC have been incorporated into national law, as specified in the Directive itself; further notes that the Commission undertook not only to collect detailed information, but also to report on it to Parliament and the Council and that Parliament, in its resolution of 14 June 2006 on non-discrimination and equal opportunities for all – a framework strategy , asked the Commission to 'examine as a matter of urgency the quality and content of the laws implementing the anti-discrimination directives';

The purpose of services of general interest should be to guarantee these rights in accordance with a number of principles, namely equal access for everyone, information, consultation, user and worker participation and financial viability.

Article 141(3) of the Treaty now provides a specific legal basis for the adoption of Community measures to ensure the application of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment in matters of employment and occupation, including the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value.