Activities of Anna HEDH related to 2012/0299(COD)
Plenary speeches (1)
Gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on stock exchanges (debate)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on improving the gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on stock exchanges and related measures
Amendments (28)
Amendment 23 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) While this Directive does not aim to harmonise national laws on the selection procedures and qualification criteria for board positions in detail, the introduction of certain minimum standards as regards the requirement for listed companies without balanced gender representation to take appointment decisions for non- executive directors on the basis of a vacancy announcement opening up for applications and an objective comparative assessment of the qualifications of candidates in terms of suitability, competence and professional performance is necessary in order to attain gender balance among non-executives directors. Only an EU-level measure can effectively help to ensure a competitive level-playing field throughout the Union and avoid practical complications in business life.
Amendment 26 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) Companies listed on stock exchanges enjoy a particular economic importance, visibility and impact on the market as a whole. The measures provided for in this Directive should therefore apply to listed companies, which are defined as companies incorporated in a Member State whose securities are admitted to trading on a regulated market within the meaning of Article 4(1) (14) of Directive 2004/39/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 on markets in financial instruments, in one or more Member States. These companies set standards for the economy in its entirety and their practices can be expected to be followed by other types of companies. The public nature of listed companies justifies that they be regulated to a greater extentadequately regulated in the public interest.
Amendment 28 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 17 a (new)
Recital 17 a (new)
(17 a) Non-listed companies also play a major role in the economy. In principle, they should therefore be included in the scope of this Directive. However, since the gender situation in these companies is not generally well-known and since particular provisions might be needed in order to reflect their specificities and varying nature within and across Member States, the inclusion should not be made until at a later stage, The Commission should present a proposal with that effect after having carried out a thorough investigation into all relevant aspects.
Amendment 29 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) This Directive should not apply to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as defined by Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, even if they are . This should be the case for listed, and at a later stage non-listed, companies.
Amendment 30 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) In several Member States, a certain proportion of the non-executive directors can or must be appointed or elected by the company's workforce and/or organisations of workers pursuant to national law or practice. The quantitative objectives provided for in this Directive should apply to all non-executive directors including employee representatives. However, the practical procedures for ensuring that those objectives are attained, taking into account the fact that some non-executive Directors are employee representatives, should be defined by the Member States concerned on the basis of careful and extensive consultations with social partners at the national level.
Amendment 31 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) Listed companies in the Union should be imposed obligations of means providing for appropriate procedures with a view of meeting specific objectives regarding the gender composition of their boards. Those listed companies in whose boards members of the under-represented sex hold less than 40 per cent of non-executive director positions should make the appointments to those positions on the basis of a vacancy announcement opening up for applications and a comparative analysis of the qualifications of each candidate, by applying pre- established, clear, neutrally formulated and unambiguous criteria, in order to attain the said percentage at the latest by 1 January 2020. Therefore, the Directive establishes the objective of at least 40 per cent of non- executive directors of the under- represented sex by that date. This objective in principle only concerns the overall gender diversity among the non-executive directors and does not interfere with the concrete choice of individual directors from a wide pool of male and female candidates in each individual case. In particular, it does not exclude any particular candidates for director positions, nor does it impose any individual directors on companies or shareholders. The decision on the appropriate board members thus remains with the companies and shareholders.
Amendment 37 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 26
Recital 26
(26) In line with that case-law, Member States should ensure that the selection of the best qualified candidates for non- executive directors is based on a vacancy announcement opening up for applications and a comparative analysis of the qualifications of each candidate on the basis of pre- established, clear, neutrally formulated and unambiguous criteria. Examples of types of selection criteria that companies could apply include professional experience in managerial and/or supervisory tasks, knowledge in specific relevant areas such as finance, controlling or human resources management, leadership and communication skills and networking abilities. Priority should be given to the candidate of the under-represented sex if that candidate is equally qualified as the candidate of the other sex in terms of suitability, competence and professional performance, and if an objective assessment taking account of all criteria specific to the individual candidates does not tilt the balance in favour of a candidate of the other sex.
Amendment 40 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) Member States should provide for effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions for breaches of this Directive, which could include, inter alia, administrative fines and nullity or annulment declared by a judicial body of the appointment or of the election of non- executive directors made contrary to the national provisions adopted pursuant to Article 4(1) as well as forced dissolution, ordered by a competent judicial body in full respect of proper procedural safeguards, in cases of serious and repeated infringements.
Amendment 42 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 31
Recital 31
Amendment 43 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 34
Recital 34
(34) Member States should require listed companies to provide information on the gender composition of their boards as well as information on how they managed to meet the objectives laid down in this Directive, on a yearly basis to the competent national authorities in order to enable them to assess the progress of each listed company towards gender balance among directors. Such information should be published in an appropriate and easily accessible manner in the annual report and on the website and, where the company in question has not met the objective, it should include a comprehensive description of the measures that it has taken so far and intends to take in the future in order to meet the objective.
Amendment 47 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall ensure that listed companies in whose boards members of the under-represented sex hold less than 40 per cent of the non-executive director positions make the appointments to those positions on the basis of a vacancy announcement opening up for applications and a comparative analysis of the qualifications of each candidate, by applying pre-established, clear, neutrally formulated and unambiguous criteria, in order to attain the said percentage at the latest by 1 January 2020 or at the latest by 1 January 2018 in case of listed companies which are public undertakings.
Amendment 56 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 6
Article 4 – paragraph 6
Amendment 58 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 2
Article 5 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall require listed companies to provide information to the competent national authorities, once a year as from [two years after adoption], about the gender representation on their boards, distinguishing between non-executive and executive directors and about the measures taken in view of the objectives laid down in Article 4(1) and in paragraph 1 of this Article, and to publish that information in an appropriate and easily accessible manner in the annual report and on their website.
Amendment 59 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 3
Article 5 – paragraph 3
3. Where a listed company does not meet the objectives laid down in Article 4(1) or its own individual commitments taken pursuant to paragraph 1 of this Article, the information referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article shall include the reasons for not reaching the objectives or commitments and a comprehensive description of the measures which the company has adopted or intends to adopt in order to meet the objectives or commitments.
Amendment 61 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
(ba) forced dissolution, ordered by a competent judicial body in full respect of proper procedural safeguards, in cases of serious and repeated infringements.
Amendment 64 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. The Commission shall, no later than 1 January 2016, present a proposal for the inclusion in the scope of this Directive of non-listed companies which are not SMEs. The proposal might incorporate provisions aimed at reflecting the specificities and varying nature of these companies.
Amendment 66 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 3
Article 9 – paragraph 3
3. The Commission shall review the application of this Directive and report to the European Parliament and the Council by 31 DecemberJuly 20218 at the latest and every two years thereafter. The Commission shall evaluate in particular whether the objectives of this Directive have been achieved.
Amendment 90 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) In several Member States, a certain proportion of the non-executive directors can or must be appointed or elected by the company's workforce and/or organisations of workers pursuant to national law or practice. The quantitative objectives provided for in this Directive should apply to all non-executive directors including employee representatives. However, the practical procedures for ensuring that those objectives are attained, taking into account the fact that some non-executive Directors are employee representatives, should be defined by the Member States concerned on the basis of careful and extensive consultations with social partners at the national level.
Amendment 96 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) Listed companies in the Union should be imposed obligations of means providing for appropriate procedures with a view of meeting specific objectives regarding the gender composition of their boards. Those listed companies in whose boards members of the under-represented sex hold less than 40 per cent of non-executive director positions should make the appointments to those positions on the basis of a vacancy announcement opening up for applications and a comparative analysis of the qualifications of each candidate, by applying pre- established, clear, neutrally formulated and unambiguous criteria, in order to attain the said percentage at the latest by 1 January 2020. Therefore, the Directive establishes the objective of at least 40 per cent of non- executive directors of the under- represented sex by that date. This objective in principle only concerns the overall gender diversity among the non-executive directors and does not interfere with the concrete choice of individual directors from a wide pool of male and female candidates in each individual case. In particular, it does not exclude any particular candidates for director positions, nor does it impose any individual directors on companies or shareholders. The decision on the appropriate board members thus remains with the companies and shareholders.
Amendment 130 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) Member States should provide for effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions for breaches of this Directive, which could include, inter alia, administrative fines and nullity or annulment declared by a judicial body of the appointment or of the election of non- executive directors made contrary to the national provisions adopted pursuant to Article 4(1) as well as forced dissolution, ordered by a competent judicial body in full respect of proper procedural safeguards, in cases of serious and repeated infringements.
Amendment 136 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 31
Recital 31
Amendment 153 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 34
Recital 34
(34) Member States should require listed companies to provide information on the gender composition of their boards as well as information on how they managed to meet the objectives laid down in this Directive, on a yearly basis to the competent national authorities in order to enable them to assess the progress of each listed company towards gender balance among directors. Such information should be published in an appropriate and easily accessible manner in the annual report and on the website and, where the company in question has not met the objective, it should include a comprehensive description of the measures that it has taken so far and intends to take in the future in order to meet the objective.
Amendment 197 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall ensure that listed companies in whose boards members of the under-represented sex hold less than 40 per cent of the non-executive director positions make the appointments to those positions on the basis of a vacancy announcement opening up for applications and a comparative analysis of the qualifications of each candidate, by applying pre-established, clear, neutrally formulated and unambiguous criteria, in order to attain the said percentage at the latest by 1 January 2020 or at the latest by 1 January 2018 in case of listed companies which are public undertakings.
Amendment 225 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 6
Article 4 – paragraph 6
Amendment 247 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 2
Article 5 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall require listed companies to provide information to the competent national authorities, once a year as from [two years after adoption], about the gender representation on their boards, distinguishing between non-executive and executive directors and about the measures taken in view of the objectives laid down in Article 4(1) and in paragraph 1 of this Article, and to publish that information in an appropriate and easily accessible manner in the annual report and on their website.
Amendment 253 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 3
Article 5 – paragraph 3
3. Where a listed company does not meet the objectives laid down in Article 4(1) or its own individual commitments taken pursuant to paragraph 1 of this Article, the information referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article shall include the reasons for not reaching the objectives or commitments and a comprehensive description of the measures which the company has adopted or intends to adopt in order to meet the objectives or commitments.
Amendment 287 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
(ba) forced dissolution, ordered by a competent judicial body in full respect of proper procedural safeguards, in cases of serious and repeated infringements.
Amendment 312 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 3
Article 9 – paragraph 3
3. The Commission shall review the application of this Directive and report to the European Parliament and the Council by 31 DecemberJuly 20218 at the latest and every two years thereafter. The Commission shall evaluate in particular whether the objectives of this Directive have been achieved.