Employment policy, women's labour market activation and demographic trends

This chapter shows the operation of the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) in the new Member States. The OMC is examined in more detail, as it might prove a useful supporting approach to gender equality. Whereas the OMC is more politically-based and more connected with so-called positive duties, the aquis implemented into national legislations is based on individual defence claims against discrimination. The chapter considers the operation of the OMC in two policy areas, the European Employment Strategy (EES) and the social inclusion policy, in five post-communist states, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia and Poland, and questions how effective the OMC has been in these states in advancing gender equality. The Czech Republic and Slovakia has chosen because of their proximity and common recent history which has shaped their respective different paths taken in the post-communist years. Slovenia seems to be a country which in recent years has been quite pro-active towards gender equality.