The influence of European union legislation on labour market equality for women

This paper describes the legal progress made in European Community lain and litigation with regard to women and their problems in labour life. The improvement of European legislation started in the 1970s and was fostered by the European Court of Justice. Gender equality thus was implemented in the legal systems of all the European member states. But the main problem still is translating law into practice. Therefore the top-down strategy of gender mainstreaming and some demands within the new amended "Equal Treatment Directive" (2002/73/EC) could bring further achievements in equality. Structural change, however, is impeded by the background presence of the male breadwinner regime.