But our women's movement should not think that steps would be taken to maintain equality between sexes in every field, in line with the EU regulations.
The EU has not yet been able to get over the Common Market mentality, especially in the field of equality between men and women. The bloc's binding resolutions about social equality between sexes are mostly limited to economic and social areas.
For example, there are no binding decisions or regulations on an equal and balanced representation of men and women in political and public decision-making processes in the EU member countries.
The new EU Constitution doesn't bring about clear rules to force member countries to ensure equality between sexes in every field.
In summary, although the EU is more advanced than Turkey in terms of equality between men and women, there still exists the dominance of men in EU's institutions and the political, economic, social and cultural lives of the EU member countries.
Because there are no binding rules, there are important differences between the levels of social equality between sexes in EU countries. The Enlargement period may further widen these differences.
The European Women's Lobby (EWL), which is an umbrella organization for the women's movements in EU countries, has for years, struggled for the elimination of these shortcomings, and for the creation of binding and comprehensive rules and constitutional regulations in this field. With the additional strength of new EU members and candidate countries, the lobby has to be more forceful in its struggle.
The women's groups in Turkey have also joined the women's movements of EU countries this year under EWL. During the EU Constitution Convention period, the EWL's demand that "the social equality between sexes should not only be emphasized as a principle of the EU, but as one of the basic values of the EU," was not adequately met.
EWL's demand that a comprehensive and binding regulation, that would enforce the maintenance of equality between sexes, not only in economic and social fields but all other fields too, has still not been accepted.
The same situation goes for the creation of special funds and a special and separate mechanism within the EU, to "ensure social equality between sexes," and "to guarantee that women's views are reflected in the decisions that are taken."
Moreover, the accession of 10 new members into the EU has created the danger that issues such as abortion ban, which have long been eliminated from the agenda of EU countries, are brought back onto the agenda.
The EWL's struggles in such fields have to grow stronger. Thus, a difficult mission awaits Turkey's women's movement in the path toward the EU.
Turkey holds the record for the "prevalence and depth of the inequality between men and women," among EU candidates. For that reason, we need to struggle so that the EU rules for equality between sexes are implemented with speed.
Moreover, as a component of EWL, we have to struggle for the adoption of binding decisions and special measures on sexual equality and the creation of institutions and funds.
Women, by fighting for sexual equality in Turkey and the EU, will become the actors of creating a different and social EU. Good luck to all of you! (GD/BB/EA/YE)
