Gender institute

Employment and social affairs ministers agreed (1 December) to set up the European Institute for Gender Equality in Vilnius, Lithuania, next year. The institute, which will have a budget of €52.5 million in 2007-13, will help ensure thatEU policies take account of equality needs.

The centre-right EPP-ED group in the European Parliament has been forced to change its rules of procedure to avoid damaging splits over who should lead the group until 2009.