On 5 April, the European Institute for Gender Equality highlighted the latest figures on the number of women in decision-making positions in the EU Member States, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
The EU Gender Balance in Corporate Boards Directive adopted in 2022 has encouraged the implementation of good practices in some EU Member States with the introduction of legislative quotas in business and finance. By 2026, companies must have 40% of the under-represented gender among non-executive directors or 33% among all directors. The rate of women on boards reached 36 % in October 2021.
Additionally, the number of women in national governments of EU Member States has increased in recent years to 32% of senior ministers being women. However, the area of business and finance are still very male-dominated, in particular in the Western Balkans and Turkey with only 19% of women on the boards of the largest listed companies in 2021.

Since 2021, the number of European NOCs with a female President increased by two, reaching 7 European NOCs out of 50 in 2023. Over the same period, the number of European NOCs with a female Secretary General increased by two as well, reaching 13 in 2023.
Aligned with the EU and Olympic targets for gender equality, the EOC EU Office is coordinating the GAMES Project (Guidance to Achieve More Equal Leadership in Sport) to promote integrity and good governance in sports by advocating for structural and cultural changes regarding gender equality in leadership and decision-making positions among NOCs and their member federations. The EOC EU Office is implementing GAMES together with 8 NOCs (Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, North Macedonia and Turkey) and renowned experts in the field of gender equality and good governance, including Professor Emerita Kari Fasting from Equal Rights in Sports and I TRUST Sport. Furthermore, the GAMES project is supported by the International Olympic Committee.