AN EU directive informally introduced this week would require major European corporations to reserve 40 percent — more than triple the current average in EU countries — of the positions on their supervisory boards for women, thereby mandating discrimination in many cases against men. The idea of quotas in boardrooms is a pet project of European feminists, who have no qualms about instituting the type of employment discrimination they claim has always existed against women and who never lose a wink of sleep over possibly damaging the world economy and accelerating social decline. Companies that did not comply to the mandate would face fines and other sanctions. The directive would not apply to executive board positions — as of yet.

The proposal, to be introduced officially to the European Commission next month, would do nothing to satisfy the interests of the vast majority of women, who are not interested in highly demanding careers of uninterrupted work. A major reason why women are not more heavily represented in top executive positions is that they do not want to be in top executive positions and their personal responsibilities interfere with their competitiveness. See British analyst Catherine Hakim’s study on the issue. She explains why even in Sweden, with its onerous equality legislation, women make dramatically different work choices than men.

The totalitarian directive is based on the false assumption that businesses do not act in their own best interests and can act as social engineers without risking their primary goal of making money. It also assumes that men will remain motivated and productive in an environment in which they are ruled by women and often passed over for promotion because they are not female.

Slightly under 14 percent of supervisory board positions in the 27 member states are currently held by women, according to The Financial Times. According to the newspaper:

[T]he proposal, expected to be formally introduced by Viviane Reding, the EU’s justice commissioner, next month, can be adopted by the EU through its complex majority voting process, meaning neither the UK nor Sweden would be able to veto its passage.

According to the draft, companies larger than 250 employees or with more than €50m in revenues would be required to report annually on the gender make-up of their boards. Those that miss the mandatory quota would be subject to administrative fines or be barred from state aid and contracts.

Reding, below, goes by the ominous title of EU Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship. She is the major promoter of the idea of quotas. A former journalist in Luxembourg, she has astonishing power over the business world for a woman who has never worked in corporate management or business. She is the divorced mother of three.

A member of the European Commission told Die Welte, “It’s important to note that what we’re planning is not positive discrimination ….. Women would only be chosen for the job over their male competitors if both candidates are equally suited for the position and have the same level of competence and professional performance.”

But what if there weren’t women “equally suited” for enough positions? Employers would still be fined and penalized. The effect will be to damage those competent women who do rise to the top, who will always be under suspicion as possible beneficiaries of quotas.

—– Comments ——-

Terry Morris writes:

Now SHE looks like a “Pit bull in lipstick.” But one probably shouldn’t judge based on a single photograph.

Kevin M. writes:

Europe is finished. Between England handing over its churches to Muslims to convert to makeshift mosques to this nonsensical fembot decree that corporations be 40 percent female in their boardrooms makes me want to heave.

Mark Steyn and others have said it: Europe is done.

With Europe gone, to where will we ally?

The portent is ominous.

Muslims want to take us over, and we want someone to take us over. Western Civilization is kaput.

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