Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Extraordinary meeting Structured dialogue with EVP Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib
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EMPL European Parliament
Follow its sittingsVéronique Siegel
The numbers speak for themselves. By 2050, more gender equality could increase EU GDP per capita by almost 10% and create more than 10 million jobs. And yet, the gaps remain. Women still earn 11% less than men. Their pensions are 25% lower.
That means women are poor at the end of their lives. That is not fair, and that is not efficient. If we want Europe to be more competitive, we cannot afford to leave half of our talent on the table. And that is why the transparency directive, the pay transparency directive matters so much. Transparency changes behavior.
When pay is visible, fairness follows. This is good for workers and good for the European business. We must put this directive into action. We will also work with member states through the European Semester to tackle the root causes of the pension gap. And let me put a number on the cost of doing nothing.
In 2023, the gender employment gap cost the EU economy €390,000,000,000. That is billions of euros in lost innovation and lost growth. We simply cannot afford it. We also need workplaces where women feel safe. Today, more than 4 in 10 young women in the EU experience sexual harassment at work.
As we prepare the Quality Jobs Act, we are working with social partners to make sure prevention and accountability are at its core. But safety at work is only part of the picture. Equality at work starts with fairness at home. If care is not shared, opportunity is not equal. We will present a European care deal to make care fairer, so I welcome your work together with the FAM Committee on the gender care gap.
We are also keeping a close eye on the work-life balance directive. We are preparing an implementation report on two studies, one on how different family leave rights work together, and another on how self-employed workers use their rights. All of this goes in one direction, a Europe where opportunity is not shaped by gender. I continue to help turn our new gender equality strategy into reality because women cannot wait, and neither can men. Men are part of the solution.
Honorable members, we are also determined to improve the everyday lives of persons with disabilities, and we have a clear compass, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We are now halfway through our strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities. Almost all flagship initiatives have been delivered. Think about what that means in practice. Your phone, your bank, your bus stop, your payment at the supermarket, everything a person relies on to move through their day, it must be accessible, not as a favor by the majority, but as a right belonging to every single person.
And that is what the European Accessibility Act delivers. Take the European disability card and the parking card for persons with disabilities, a simple but powerful ID. Wherever you go across the EU, your rights travel with you. Your disability status is recognized for access to services and for support. And we will go further.
We will soon present a new communication enhancing the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities up to 2030, with new actions to support independence, participation, and equal rights. And this work is grounded in real experience, and not assumptions. We received over 600 replies in our consultation, most from persons with disabilities themselves. And I also met young people from across Europe at our youth policy dialogue, full of energy and full of ideas, absolutely clear about what they need. They spoke about living independently, accessing digital services, having a real voice in politics.
Their message was clear: nothing about us without us. Our enhanced strategy will reflect that built on their input on your work, on input from institutions, and on the recommendation of the UN Committee of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. On Rabbi members, I think that we can say we share the same goal, a Europe where everyone belongs, a Europe where everyone has a fair chance to get there. We need to work together across policies, across institutions, and across all societies. So thank you, and I look forward to discussion.
Li Andersson
Thank you very much. We then move on to the first round of questions. And I thought I would take them in two blocks. So, four questions, answers, and four questions. Just because we started a bit late, and I'm not sure how long the members can be here, so just to make sure everybody gets to take the floor.
And starting with Missus Marchulitis Walczek from the EPP, one and a half minutes.
Thank.
Jagna Marczułajtis-Walczak
Thank you very much, chair and commissioner. Thank you. It's a pleasure to have you here at this meeting, at this ample committee, particularly given that we're working on such an important document as the strategy of the rights of persons with disabilities that you've mentioned. Our voters want this document to be ambitious. We want it to meet the objectives that we've set.
There are millions of people who believe in the European project and believe that the European Commission will find a way to make sure that, at last, the member states will enforce the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. And here at the parliament, we want Europe to be accessible for all, with no exceptions. We must and we have given out a clear message, or the resolution from November stated clearly that we need to step up the accessible EU so that all of those who have ratified the UN convention apply it. And we also have made an appeal for more financing for people who need the help. Locally, people who receive assistance also have a clear goal.
They want to have an independent life. They want to have to be able to truly freely choose, I beg your pardon, where they live and how they live. So we thank you, commissioner, for joining us and for your address. I found it very inspiring, and I really hope that this text is up to what we and our citizens want. Thank you.
Thank you.
Marianne Vind
Thank you very much, commissioner. Thank you very much for your good presentation now, and also for the important debate in plenary just a moment ago on consent legislation. I have two questions. First of all, this is something we've talked about many times before. Unfortunately, it's still necessary because women still earn less than men on average.
At the same time, we see pressure from both colleagues here in parliament and from employer organizations to roll pay transparency back. And this can't be right, that women are paying the price for less bureaucracy in the form of lower wages. So I'm glad that you mentioned how important pay transparency is. But my question is, how do you see, what do you think about the pressure to roll back legislation? And can the commission guarantee that the commission won't give in?
Secondly, what about when women get older, how too many people, too many women leave the labor market early because they don't get the support that they need. We should do that better. What is your idea about that? What do you think about that?
Mélanie Disdier
Thank you very much. Commissioner, listening to your priorities, I understand why we are looking at this text and why it goes beyond social measures with no relation to employment. It's a real problem that no one is talking about here. All ideology that you're talking about, including, has nothing to do with creating jobs or ensuring that we keep our industrial texture. It talks about minorities and others.
But we need to make sure that, unfortunately, with disabilities, it is merely words we're seeing in the EU. The reality is cruel. The rate of employment of people with a disability is still at 50 percent. We have seen very little done about this. Individual disabilities are really a major issue in this strategy.
We need to ensure mainstreaming. You're instrumentalizing social policies and making them into obsessions. We've got green deal migration to the direct detriment of vulnerable people who really need financing. And we're seeing this in all of the positions taken. We need to ensure inclusiveness.
We need to make sure that people who are in minorities, SMEs, industry who need workers can ensure them. To face up to crises, we need more pragmatism, less supranational bureaucracy, which embezzles the funds and imposes its own agenda, damaging our economies. Thank you.
Chiara Gemma
Thank you, chair. Thank you, commissioner, and thank you for your address at this very important time to boost the strategy for persons with a disability. I'd like to talk about disability for a moment. The data shows structural shortcomings in the EU. It's still around 50% employment, with a gap of around 20 percentage points compared to people without a disability.
And that isn't just a problem of access to work. It's the outcome of progressive hindrances, insufficient services, a fragmented cost, and discontinued policies. In this context, the question is effective participation without accessible services, without support in the workplace and without the right conditions, inclusion can only be theoretical. There are still some major question marks about the 2021 strategy, which hasn't been fully addressed. And I'm talking in particular about developing territorial services and recognizing the role of caregivers.
And so I'd like to ask you, how does the commission intend to structurally include these in the disability strategy, be it in terms of work or access to support services, linking up these measures with employment objectives and independence for people with a disability? Thank you.
Li Andersson
Alright. And then, we take answers at this point, so the floor is to the commissioner.
Véronique Siegel
Thank you very much for those questions. As you know, we're at the midterm of the implementation of the strategy for persons with disabilities. We have achieved a lot. I think we can pat ourselves on the back for what we've already achieved in the accessible EU card, the parking card. And so I think we need to acknowledge those achievements.
We are going forward to carry out a study involving all of our stakeholders and persons with. As I said, we carried out a three month consultation. And three major questions have come out of this. Priorities for people who are concerned, first and foremost, 62 percent of people with a disability. Well, they're saying they need to be included in the labour market. We need also to work on greater accessibility and independent living so that people can choose how they want to live and where they want to work, and also working on appropriate care, that is tailor made to people and allows them to live in their communities and not in institutions.
So we're working on deinstitutionalization. That is really going to be the upcoming flagship priority for our future efforts. So that will be circulated in a statement to respond to the questions of those concerned. And those people who are supporting people with a disability have also been consulted during that. So that statement will be delivered in May, and I'll probably come back to meet you again at that point.
Regarding the pay transparency directive, I know there have been a lot of concerns on this being a kind of omnibus, but not at all. To date, we have held four workshops, and the fifth was just held recently, again engaging social stakeholders. We have also earmarked means for that, resources for that to member states that needed it, without creating any additional red tape regardless of the legislation. And, really, ultimately, we're seeking equal pay for equal work. End of story.
There's no administrative burden involved at all. We have eight member states who have benefited from funding there to adapt. One of the latest was the country I'm from. And those countries had particular misgivings, but we found that 17 member states already have a law in place that sets out trans pay transparency and pay equality. So we just need to adapt this directive to those national laws.
So we're continuing to work on all of this. There will be a when it comes to the stop of the clock, we will have implementation, and we'll continue to monitor the implementation of this vital directive in member states' law. Perhaps I've spoken a little longer than I had.
Li Andersson
We go, we continue with the speakers. I have, next is from Renew. Missus Fu.
Jana Toom
Thank you very much, commissioner. It's good to see you here. Well, we understand that you were running from the plenary, and it's like a huge pressure, but here we are. I'm sorry, but I don't want to repeat the question of socialist colleague, but I still have a feeling that I didn't get a full answer. I'm coming from Estonia, the country with the highest gender pay gap in the European Union, and our government declared lately, like two weeks ago, that they're not going to implement the pay transparency directive, that they're not alone, that they are kind of, you know, uniting themselves with other same minded countries in order to get rid of this unnecessary bureaucracy.
And what I noticed when I looked into it, not about my country but about this, you know, resistance so to say as such, it is full of lies. And we met with you in New York in the March on this United Nations session, which was dedicated to women's rights. And everywhere, everybody told us that all human rights defendants in the world see that there is a well coordinated and well financed attack to human rights and especially women rights in the world. Do you see that in Europe? I see.
Maybe I'm too, you know, I'm a former journalist, maybe I'm a bit paranoiac, but I kind of see it and I see it in some countries where I would never see that I will witness something like that. Do you see that, and do you see the need to tackle this internal disinformation? Because the arguments which are used in this battle are not true, but they are very workable, I would say. Thank you.
Thank you. And next from the Greens, Missus Langen Siepen.
Katrin Langensiepen
Yeah. Persons with disabilities are still not treated as equal citizens. It's clear that is the reality. We're not seen as taxpayers, mothers, employees, passengers, customers. When we take the bus from Brussels Midi, it's dangerous.
Without help, we have no access to the train. I paid for a ticket. So the train agency failed. We are happy to have a disability card, but if I don't have access to the train, to the buses in the European Union, I cannot do anything with that card. The European Union is not good when it comes to the implementation of the UN CRPD.
Our member states are not good, and we are still waiting for the goodwill of the member states. Between ninety and 100 million persons with disabilities live in the European Union. We are not a minority. We are citizens and taxpayers. Soft policies is nice but not ambitious enough.
So my question is on Accessible Youth Centre, how we move forward finally to an Accessible Youth Agency about funding. Finally, we must stop funding institutions. We talked about women's rights in this chamber. What about forced sterilization, forced abortion, violence against women and girls with disabilities in institutions? Nobody is talking about it.
It's a taboo. How we move forward, deinstitutionalization, and funding. Many things to add in the second round, but that is from my side, and I am not very optimistic, sorry to say.
Rudi Kennes
Thank you. I will speak Dutch. Yeah. Commissioner Well, commissioner, first of all, the new Eurofound survey has concluded that the problems here are systemic and are not disappearing. The pay gap is not closing.
Is the commission prepared to say that any undermining of the pay transparency directive will be refused, and this is what the corporate lobby calls regular pressure? You get people who are working, women often working in jobs where the working conditions are far too poor still. Now the militarization is making sure that the care budget is the first victim. When are financial obligations gonna be included in the care strategy, by the commission rather than recommendations that are just jettisoned as soon as the defense industry rings a bell and calls for money? And I'd like to take advantage of having the floor, Miss Labib, whether you are working for equality because we see the militarization, which is putting pressure on equal opportunities and means we're not investing in the safety of our citizens.
Citizens are seeing throughout Europe that there are floods, that there are bridges collapsing, but the billions are still going to militarization. When is the commission actually gonna deal with the actual threats that affect actual Europeans? Or do people have to conclude that they are being sacrificed on the altar of the defense industry and big tech? Thank you.
Petar Volgin
Thank you, chair. I'll speak in Bulgarian. Commissioner, the.
EU is in a state of deep recession. There are job cuts, excessive deficit, galloping energy prices, serious impoverishment. Only ten to fifteen years ago, parents were sure that their children will be better off than them. Unfortunately, today, the certainty has yielded to the conviction that our children will live a harder life than us, and this is already the case. Not so long ago, the EU was a symbol of peace and social prosperity.
Unfortunately, today, this is no longer. Instead of working to improve living conditions for workers, the EU leaders have focused all their efforts on turning this organization into a militarized structure. Madam commissioner, as a journalist, you covered some of the hottest spots in the world: The Middle East, Afghanistan. You know all the way what happens when there is constant talk of war, and people are urged to think in military terms and are intimidated that a very evil neighbor is sure to attack them. A military psychosis will lead, sooner or later, to a real war.
EU leaders are bracing us for such a war. Instead of promoting more jobs, better health care, and better demographic policy, you leaders make us think that war is inevitable. A year ago, you personally showed us the now famous 72-hour emergency survival kit in times of war. Here's my question to you. A torch, a cigarette lighter, and a nail clipper are important objects, but don't you think that the EU leaders have something else to do?
Instead of preparing emergency kits, they should pursue a policy that will render war impossible.
Thank you.
Thank you very much. And then floor back to the commissioner.
Véronique Siegel
Madam chair, I will start with honorable Tom and the question of how to combat false narrative when it comes to the pay transparency directive. I'm convinced that the adoption of this directive will be a real game changer for tackling the gender pay gap, that still stands around 11%, in our EU and in a more effective way, and the pension gap, which stands at 25. And to combat maybe the fourth narrative, there are clear benefits to embracing pay transparency. According to research, transparent organizations experience better employee retention. Employees are 65% less likely to leave their company, and better employee engagement.
72% of employees feel engaged compared to 39% in less transparent direct companies. So the implementation of the directive will now be key for impact on the ground, and member states have until June to transport the directive into the national law. And we organize, as I said, a lot of workshops. We provide funds for everything for them to be ready. And I will not, I think that I answered, give you some arguments on this.
When it comes to accessibility, I totally agree with you, honorable that, you know, all the implementation, all the directive, EU legislation, and even national legislation depend on the goodwill of the member states. And so we will work with them, and that's why it's so important to work with our stakeholders, through our equality bodies, with the civil society, and with the member states. And when it comes to accessibility, you know that we have Accessible EU, which is a platform. We organize more than 200 events, with member states, regional partners as well. And, we have adopting accessibility for passenger rights by air, rail, and bus transport.
And very recently, we have on the rail, the EU has introduced technical specification for interoperability for persons with reduced mobility, setting common standards for accessible rolling stock, among other wagons, stations, boarding, passenger information, and assistance services. We've also organized training for employees and so on. So we are doing a lot. But, of course, at the end, if they don't want to implement it, we can launch infringement pro procedures. Of course, that's what we are doing.
Honorable Kenneth, it was, again, pay transparency and why we are not investing in our own security. And, you may know that you are from The Netherlands. Belgium. Sorry. But so we are close to the Netherlands, and your accent was close to sorry.
Not Flemish, but okay. Sorry. The Netherlands just launched their brochure on preparedness and how to be prepared in case of, like, the Swedish, like, the Danish, and so many Nordic countries. And what we discover is that first, people were comfortable with this. They were happy because they were well informed, and that women were more, the ones that were taking actions and more keen to take really action to take stockpiles, things that were needed in case of a crisis occurred.
So interesting things to share with you. I'm not commissioner for defense, but I think that it's better to prepare for any kind of crisis because it might be not a war, but maybe floods, maybe a wildfire, maybe all kinds of hazards, by the way. That's why our preparedness strategy is all about. And we have a specific attention for persons with disabilities in our strategies, for women who are always the first victims in case of crisis, and LGBTIQ plus people as well, and so on. And when it comes to the last question, honorable Volgin, yeah, we are living in a very unpredictable world, unfortunately, and that's why I think it's good to be prepared and to have seventy-two hours of autonomy and, of course, to do everything to prevent war.
And, you may know that I'm also commissioner for humanitarian aid. And for me, I would like to underline the necessity to stay involved in humanitarian action. Because when you know that more than 300,000,000 people depend on humanitarian aid, and while the funding gap is only increasing, people are, you know, going to, yes, to move, to create destabilization in regional countries. I mean, it will not stay where it is happened. And so the best way to prevent war is also to tackle climate change, to tackle any kind of crisis, and to be prepared and to stay involved in humanitarian action.
Thank you.
Li Andersson
Thank you very much. We then move on to the second round. So it's one minute for each question. I'm starting with Missus Dougherty from the EPP.
Regina Doherty
Thank you, Cher. Commissioner, I want to specifically ask you a question with regard to your brief on preparedness and crisis management. We've seen fuel supply levels are sufficient in the European Union at the moment, but industry experts are warning us that if the Straits of Hormuz continue to be blockaded, that we're going to run crucially short of them within weeks. Ireland, where I'm from, is a nation, an island. It doesn't just rely on aviation.
It absolutely is integral to us. And in the next number of weeks, if we can't supply a secure supply, I am actually genuinely worried about the loss of jobs from an industry that had major challenges during COVID. So my question to you is beyond monitoring and mapping, what specific triggers did the commission plan to use to move from observation to intervention if that becomes necessary in the next number of weeks? Thank you, chair.
Evelyn Regner
Thank you very much again on pay transparency. Business, a lot of those representing the business sector and being powerful also with the arguments within the commission are destructive when it comes to the implementation. They tried it during the negotiation procedure, but in these times, above all, women, not only, of course, we are very much united, and therefore, we just got this piece of legislation where we're really trying to say this is a powerful, this is an excellent, that's a good piece of legislation. Therefore, my question to you. We in the European Parliament who negotiated it.
I mean, I'm just looking at Kieran, Marc Angel, and all those wonderful people we negotiated. We were sitting there post-COVID with masks. It was 17 degrees here in the European Parliament because they've let us freeze during the negotiations because of the energy crisis as well, and then it was dark because they also wanted to save the light. So these were the conditions we were fighting for, and it was really something cross-party, very strongly carried, and therefore there is still this strong commitment. Business, they don't want to implement, and they are so attractive.
I know they were all those workshops. What will you do in order to keep the track, really to convince? I think there are so many with knowledge who would like to support you, knowing every detail on that, but really somehow what will you go to do more than those workshops? Because I can tell you, they are telling their story, and we have to hold on against.
Margarita de la Pisa Carrión
Thank you, Chair, Commissioner. One of the priorities you've stated for the gender equality strategy is implementing the directive on pay transparency. In Spain, this will be required as of June 7. Although there are regulations both in Spain and in Europe to use this, this is a pretext for competition between the member states. It places more obligations, which are going to hinder our competitiveness even more.
Anyone who works in companies knows that the requirements are an intervention in pure pay policies, which will create legal uncertainty and have major consequences. There'll be lower contracts. Workers will suffer disincentives. And you've also said that the omnibus won't be included in the omnibus law despite the concern from here about this, and you've said that red tape will be avoided. Can you tell me how?
Because the directive itself requires documents, reports, salaries to be published, complaints can be made. This is all a huge burden for the companies. Member states already have regulations on equal pay, but this is pay transparency, which is different. And this really changes contracts which were confidential previously, making them public. How will this be done?
I haven't understood how this will avoid red tape.
Katrin Langensiepen
Yeah. Thanks, madam Labib. You mentioned if the member states are not willing, we have to push for an infringement procedure. Germany is failing right in this week and a couple of weeks ago with the UNCRPD. They are cutting funds when it comes to the rights of persons with disabilities.
Very concrete chancellor Mats. It's a disaster what happened now on social and human rights, from a social and human rights perspective. Can you push or declare that Germany is failing the UN CRPD? What is your plan on the Accessible Youth Center funding? We are debating and adopting tomorrow the MFF for the Parliament side.
Where is the money going? Independent living, great, but stop funding institutions here. We need a real concrete plan for the next years. So maybe you can give a concrete feedback on it, what your plans are. We are talking about minimum wage, what about sheltered workshops, we are talking about women's rights, what is about forced abortion.
Maybe you have some concrete ideas and plans on that. Thank you.
Tabri Garten. Tabri Garten.
Catarina Martins
Thank you very much. Thank you, commissioner. I also have very direct questions on the rights of people with a disability to independent living. After the first round, you talked about equality and human rights. People have said that was a waste of time that didn't have to do with the economy.
I have there's a Norwegian study that states that living independently creates employment itself, not just for social workers, but also it allows people with a disability to access work. And family members who no longer have to care for them and leave work can also join the labor market. Now there's just a question of human rights, though, above and beyond all of this. And there's a UN convention on the rights of persons with a disability. So it's difficult to explain how in the EU this is being used for institutionalization.
The money that is being used for institutionalization could be used for people with a disability. What we need to do is actually achieve what we're saying we're going to do. I'd like to know how concretely that will be done, how EU investment in building and transport, and so on, doesn't actually abide by the rules of access. That is what is happening right now. And I'd like to ask the commissioner what she is going to do about it.
Thank you.
Pál Szekeres
Madam Chair, madam commissioner. To be able to adhere to the UN CRPD, we need a successful economy in Europe, and peace. We don't need further plans or administrative burdens. No, we need actual assistance for employees and for living without barriers. I quite agree with what you said before.
For the same work, we need the same pay. Maternity should also be seen as a profession with all that flows from that. My request to you is that you UNCRPD should be adhered to, and we need further positive ideas. Thank you.
Li Andersson
Thank you very much. I have no further requests for the floor. So I will give the floor back to this commissioner, Labip, for answers.
Véronique Siegel
When it comes to the request of, honorable Doherty, the geopolitical situation with the blockages of the Street Of Hormuz, we delivered last week with the college. I mean, I'm not the commissioner in charge of energy, but we discussed, of course, since day one after the start of the conflict in The Middle East, the consequences, the potential consequences, and, of course, the rupture of the supply chains, the rise of energy prices, oil, gas, all these was taken into consideration. And last week, we delivered proposals for the member states to adapt their rates, their prices, and so on on energy and to help their citizens. So it was moved from observation to action. When it comes again to the pay transparency, honorable Rainier, I think that you were at the front line because you were there on the first, I mean, the previous mandate.
And I'm happy to hear that because I was surprised when I got some I have to answer the very sometimes violent business representations who didn't want to pay this transparency that was adopted during the previous mandate. So I said, you know, it's too late because all the points of view were taken into consideration. So it's too late to say after the adoption, after the multiple consequent consultations, to say no. We can't put that in when it is the implementation phase, it is the moment to understand how to explore, how to put into action and not, you know, to put that into question. So that was my answer.
And we developed a lot of toolkits from our AGA center. Yes. You know that equality institution, gender equality, that delivers a toolkit to all member states to implement it very easily. So.
Véronique Siegel
Honorable Della Pisa Carreon, 17 member states like Spain have already national regulation that are, you know, linked to transparency. No? No. Not Spain. Maybe Spain is not, but equality.
Margarita de la Pisa Carrión
Half is about equality. Equality. That is not the same. The problem is that don't ask this regulation, don't ask transparency. Oh, yeah.
Véronique Siegel
I understand better your question. But, you know, we had the equality directive. But if you don't know who is paying what, hard to be sure that a man, a deputy man, is paid equally like you. If you don't know what this man has paid, this MEP, I mean, you can compare. So that's why transparency is so important.
And so 17 member states, it means that a lot of them have already national legislation that they just need to adapt and to integrate this European directive. And honorable Langer Zippen, when it comes to you, you've asked a lot of questions, so I just pick one. When it comes to the forced sterilization, it's a serious, a very serious violation of fundamental rights as enshrined in the charter of fundamental rights of the European Union and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with disability to which all member states and the EU are state parties, requires to ensure freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman, degrading treatment. And the violence against the directive on violence against women recognize forced sterilization as violence against women, and therefore, member states to provide specific support to victims, including accessibility requirements. And we delivered also guidelines for professionals on how to address specific needs of victims experiencing intersectional discrimination, like persons with disabilities.
And the directive also ensures that when an offense has been committed against a person with disabilities, that fact alone will constitute an aggravating circumstance. And, yes, I think that I answer how to implement the pay transparency directive, and didn't understand really. Yes. There were question about the funding, maybe. It is certainly a tool.
The next MFF, it is clear that equality and nondiscrimination considerations have been mainstreamed across different proposals and regulation. And according to the regulation of the national and regional partnership plans, member states shall put in place a mechanism to comply with the charter of fundamental rights and respect the rule of law. And further, as horizontal principles of the plans, member states shall take steps to prevent discrimination based on disability and take into account accessibility for persons with disabilities throughout the preparation and implementation of the plans. And, to give you some figures, we doubled the Agora amount dedicated to equality and social inclusion through Agora EU, 3,600,000,000, and the national partnership and regional plant is 40% of the financements, are dedicated to inclusion, fight against poverty, and rural development. It's around 121000000000.
So it means that we walk the talk. It's not only about legislation. It's also about giving the means to implement this legislation.
Li Andersson
Thank you very much, commissioner. I'm sorry, but we the translators are going in eight minutes, so I will not take any further request for the floor. My apologies. If the commissioner, if you have any concluding remarks, to the end, I will give you the floor for them. So, please, the floor is yours.
Véronique Siegel
I will start, I will end with a simple idea. You cannot be what you cannot see. If a young woman never sees equal pain, she will not expect it. If her pain is dismissed in a hospital, she will learn to stay quiet or be brave. If she never feels safe at work, she will accept fear as normal.
If she never sees care shared equally at home, she will carry that burden alone. And if a person with a disability never sees a world built for them, then exclusion becomes their life. Today, we must bring these realities out of the shadows and into the light. We must make fairness so ordinary that a young woman or a person with a disability cannot imagine it any other way. Because when people see fairness, they believe in it, and when they believe in it, they demand more of it.
That is the Europe we are building. Thank you.
Thank you very much, commissioner.
And thank you.
Li Andersson
For being here in the committee for this lively debate. As you noticed, these topics are of great interest to us here in this committee, and we will be following, of course, the continuous implementation work with the pay transparency directive. Also very much looking forward to the renewed disability rights strategy, and it was also very interesting to hear that you are looking into the topic of sexual harassment at the workplace when it comes to the quality jobs act. So I think that is also very important. And we will, of course, also continue our work for gender and disability mainstreaming as one of the key goals also within the remit of the CRPD network.
So thank you very much. Thank you to the members, and a special thanks to the translators for your flexibility tonight. Thank you.
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