There is "ample evidence" that gender is a significant determinant of the organisation and funding of science in the EU, according to a new European Commission report, Science Policies in the EU. "The situation of women in science is now an urgent issue that needs a strategic policy approach at a number of levels," the report says.

Four new legislative measures are proposed. These include a new EU directive designed to ensure organisations publish systematic and reliable data, by gender and level, so their gender equality policies and practice can be monitored. These statistics should be collected and published in a standardised format throughout the EU, so that comparisons can easily be made between member states.

The report also recommends new member-state laws on gender balance on public bodies as well as new member-state laws on access to public records.

Existing laws and regulations that impede women's progress should be removed also, according to the report. For instance, in Germany untenured assistant scientist positions are restricted to five years - often unsuitable to the career progression of young women.

The Sixth Framework Programme is now at the design stage. It is recommended that more women should sit on key policy-setting committees with a minimum of 30 per cent of both genders on such committees by 2002 and 40 per cent by 2005; organisations in the member states asked by the Commission to nominate individuals to scientific committees should consider the gender balance of their nomination and meetings that do not contain a sufficient number of women speakers (related to the proportion working in the field) should not be funded.

Other proposals include abolishing the pay gap in universities and research institutes by the year 2005. The Bett report in Britain has documented the size of the gender pay gap in British universities.