Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1348867
9 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 10 MARCH 2021 JAMES DEBONO THE Maltese are among the most likely in Europe to favour more decision-making at a Eu- ropean level on a wide variety of social issues, a survey by Euro- barometer reveals. They are also the most keen to see Europe take action ad- dressing work-life balance and wages. When asked to state in which three social issues (out of 15 mentioned) on which the Euro- pean Union should focus, 31% mentioned the work-life bal- ance in contrast to just 10% of all EU respondents. 29% also think that this should be a priority for the Maltese government in contrast to 11% of EU respondents, who think this should be a priority for their national government. The survey was held in De- cember and coincided with the presentation of a report by La- bour MEP Alex Agius Saliba on the right to disconnect after work hours, and may reflect the new reality brought about by the pandemic which has seen more people working from home. The survey also shows that 26% of Maltese want EU action on wages while a further 17% want action on minimum in- comes. But when asked on what should be the main priority for the Maltese government in pre- paring for the future of Europe, 35% replied wages while 23% mentioned 'minimum income'. With regards to what should be the priorities of the national gov- ernment, wages were the most frequently mentioned item in seven countries: Hungary (50%), Croatia (47%), Lithuania (39%), Poland (38%), Cyprus (36%), Malta (35%) and France (29%). The survey also shows that a large majority of respondents in each EU Member State believe that there should be more deci- sion-making at European level for 'promoting decent work- ing conditions in the EU and abroad'. The result contrasts with the opposition of the Maltese par- liament to a proposed EU direc- tive regulating minimum wag- es based on the principle that wages remain the prerogative of nation states in respect of the principle of subsidiarity. While support for more EU decision making on working conditions stands at 76% in Malta, nine in ten respondents share this opinion in Slovenia (91%), Greece and Cyprus (90% in both countries). At the other end of the scale, less than two- thirds of respondents hold this view in Slovakia (59%), Poland (61%) and Romania (63%). In Malta, support for more European decision-making on working conditions came on- ly second to action on climate change, which is supported by 79% of Maltese respondents. Like other Europeans, the Maltese were the least keen on support for digitization and au- tomation, with less than 60% supporting more Europe on this specific issue. In all 27 EU Member States, over two-thirds of respond- ents say that a social Europe is important to them personally, with the highest scores being recorded in Portugal (98%), Spain (95%) Ireland (94%) Malta (90%), and the lowest in Finland (69%), Estonia (78%), Czechia and Romania (79% in both countries). In ten EU Member States, over half of respondents state that a social Europe is 'very impor- tant' to them personally, most notably in Ireland (61%), Malta (59%) and Slovenia (57%). Maltese keenest on EU action on work-life balance and wages JUST before the opening of the session on Monday, the European Parliament marked 2021 International Women's Day, focusing on women's empower- ment and leadership during the COV- ID-19 pandemic. In his opening speech, EP President David Sassoli said that the pandemic risks wiping out decades of achieve- ments gained by European women's struggle for the right to work, to share care work, for autonomy, for respect and for the right to make their own choices.' Regarding the gender pay gap, he add- ed, ''Women in Europe earn on average 14.1% less than men. This is not accept- able. The Commission's proposal for binding pay transparency measures will be central to our work.'' Sassoli concluded by calling for all member states to ratify the Istanbul Convention, and for the EU to make vi- olence against women a European-wide crime. In a pre-recorded video message, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacin- da Ardern, stressed that COVID-19 has exacerbated structural inequalities be- tween women and men. ''Only by fully - and meaningfully - in- cluding women in leadership at all lev- els can we ensure that our responses to the pandemic meet the needs of every- one,'' she said. ''As we look towards the year ahead, we all know it will be tough. We, as leaders, will be tested, but we must resist the false promises in the face of those tests of protectionism and nation- alism in our recovery from COVID-19. We must also do more to support wom- en-led business to be part of the recov- ery, so they can more readily experience the benefits of trade.'' In her pre-recorded video message, the first female Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, focussed on the many challenges facing women during the crisis. ''We must ensure women's safety at home and in every community. We must treat them with dignity at work and put in place the structures needed so that they can both care for their fam- ilies and excel in the workforce. Finally, we must give women an equal voice in decision-making, for this is essential to free and fair democracies," she said. "This not just an act of goodwill; this is a show of strength. If we build a world that works for women, our nations will all be safer, stronger and more prosper- ous.'' Harris also commented on the future of EU-US relations: ''President Bid- en and I look forward to working with members of this Parliament in fortify- ing the transatlantic alliance.'' Considering the many crises the world is facing, she added: ''It is essential that we work together to advance those principles that strengthen democracies: accountability and transparency, the rule of law and humans rights. Let us not overlook the opportunities right in front of us to do that.'' The celebration ended with a speech by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in the chamber. ''Too many women in Europe lack the fundamental opportunity to work and earn a living. Today, the employ- ment rate for women is 67%, while that of men is 78%. This is simply not ac- ceptable. Last week, we set a new tar- get for Europe: we must cut the gender employment gap by half, and by the end of this decade, 78% of all Europe- ans must have a job. It will not be easy but we will do everything in our pow- er to reach this goal'', she said. ''The Commission required that all member states put women at the centre of their post-COVID-19 recovery plans. It will only be a true recovery if these plans are for all'', she said. These articles are part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. These articles reflect only the authors' view. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. European Parliament celebrates International Women's Day celebrated in plenary