Economics of Gender Equality Legislation

In 2005 it will be thirty years since the first directive in the area of equal treatment of women and men was introduced into European law. During this time, nine directives and associated case law decisions have introduced and clarified many dimensions of gender equality, including those related to pay, part-time workers, pregnant workers and night workers.
Given the history and extensiveness of its commitment to gender equality, the Euroepan Union represents an important economic region where the legislative framework has played a decisive role in shaping patterns of equality among men and women. This book reviews the legal developments and examines the extent to which EU legislation has improved gender equality, economic efficiency and social inclusion across the 15 pre-2004 member states.