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The Committee notes the Government’s detailed reports, and the attached documentation.

1.  The Committee notes with interest the numerous initiatives undertaken by the Government to promote occupational equality between men and women in France, and particularly the report by Mrs. B. Majnoni d’Intignano, of the Council of Economic Analysis, on the economic aspects of differences between the sexes, prepared at the Government’s request. It notes the causes of the persistence of wage differences between men and women, which were identified in the report as having their origin, on the one hand, in discrimination on the labour market which makes it difficult for women to gain access to "good" jobs, and, on the other hand, individual choices related to reconciling professional life with family life, where the distribution of domestic tasks remains very unequal. The report reveals the economic potential of increasing the occupational activity rate of women and proposes a series of measures intended to lighten the constraints upon women, as well as reflection at the European level on demography, occupational equality between women and men and the improvement of the quality of life. The Committee also awaits with interest completion of the mission of analysing the contribution of the 35-hour week to decreasing inequalities between men and women, which has been entrusted by the Minister of Employment and Solidarity to Mrs. Jacqueline Victor, and it asks the Government to provide it with a copy of the study with its next report.

2.  The Committee also notes with interest that the Higher Council of Occupational Equality is pursuing its activities to promote occupational equality, with two new working groups set up in 1998 and three groups established in 1999. It hopes that the Government will provide copies of the conclusions of these reports on working time arrangements, the access of women to further training and the impact on their careers, the follow-up to Mrs. Génisson’s report, the place of women in social dialogue and, finally, the combination of social and working time. The Committee also notes with interest that, at the request of the Higher Council of Occupational Equality, a guide has been prepared on "equal remuneration for women and men" for negotiators, as well as a study on "comparing the value of work and the evaluation of employment with a view to wage equality between men and women: feasibility study", and it would be very interested to be provided with copies. At the same time, the Committee repeats its request, which it made in its previous direct request, for information on the practical measures which have been taken or are envisaged to ensure: (a) the development and application of evaluation and job classification systems which reduce or eliminate the wage gap in the public and private sectors; and (b) the improvement of the nomenclature of jobs by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE).

3.  The Committee notes the annual assessments of collective bargaining for 1998 and 1999, which show a continued trend in 1999 for the suppression of specific measures for women which have the effect of preventing their access to certain jobs, and the concern of the social partners to improve the reconciliation of work and family life. The Committee notes with interest that the trend observed is to eliminate traditional benefits reserved for mothers, to make such benefits applicable to persons of both sexes or to establish new rights without distinction for fathers and mothers. However, the Committee notes that the expression "equal wages for equal work" used in the collective agreements referred to does not cover the whole scope of the principle set forth in the Convention. It asks the Government to draw the attention of the social partners to the broader concept of "work of equal value", which is also set forth in section L.140-2 of the Labour Code.

4.  The Committee notes with interest the adoption of Act No. 99-585 of 12 July 1999 establishing parliamentary delegations for women’s rights and equality of opportunity between men and women. The Committee notes that these parliamentary delegations are entrusted with monitoring the implications for women’s rights and equality of opportunity for men and women in parliamentary assemblies and it welcomes this measure taken by the Government, which consists of integrating equality of opportunity into all aspects of its economic and social policies. It asks the Government to keep it informed of the future activities of these delegations relevant to the application of the Convention.

5.  Finally, the Committee notes with interest the adoption at its first reading by the National Assembly on 7 March 2000 of the Bill respecting occupational equality between men and women, which establishes the specific obligation to negotiate at the enterprise level on issues of equality between men and women, subject to penal sanctions, as well as the "balanced representation" of men and women in selection bodies in the public service. The Committee asks the Government to keep it informed of the progress made and the final adoption of the Bill.