Jill Evans MEP, the Vice-Chairperson of the European Parliament Committee for Women's Rights, has welcomed the parliament's overwhelming support for a series of key amendments to update the 1976 directive on equal treatment for men and women in the workplace.

The Leader of Plaid Cymru the Party of Wales Euro-MPs now hopes that this will lead to essential improvements in proposals by the Council of Ministers to reach full equality of women and men in employment.

Speaking after the vote Jill Evans MEP said:

"This vote confirms the Parliament's political will to end discrimination on the grounds of gender in the workplace and to ensure a working environment which is free of sexual harassment.

"We want to see positive measures to tackle discrimination at the work place and preventive measures to deal with harassment such as setting-up a confidential counselling service. Sexual harassment should be prohibited.

"It is now up to the Council of Ministers to take up the Parliament's amendments and ensure swift adoption of the long over due revision of this directive.

"Until full gender equality is reached in the European Union, positive measures will be needed to promote the professional activities of the under-represented sex - most often women."

The amendments are designed to introduce a clear definition of different types of discrimination and go beyond the less ambitious position of the Council of Ministers on one of the most important pieces of legislation in the field of gender equality.

Ends.