SHARE
COPY LINK

EUROPE

Germany to block EU quota for women execs

Chancellor Angela Merkel's government is planning to team up with the UK to scupper an EU-wide female quota for top executives, a German newspaper reported Wednesday.

Germany to block EU quota for women execs
Photo: DPA

The initiative, being planned by EU justice commissioner Viviane Reding, aims to bring in a 40-percent female quota on executive boards in all publicly-listed companies with more than 250 employees by 2020.

But according to a report in the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Merkel’s government has instructed Germany’s representatives in the EU to lobby against the proposed directive and make sure that it does not win a majority in the European Council.

In an internal document seen by the paper, the government ordered officials “as of now to canvass the German position to partners – including at embassy level.” The aim of negotiations should be “the rejection of the proposed directive” by “building a blocking minority.”

It added that the German government was against the quota “because of fundamental considerations,” as it broke the “subsidiarity principle.” This principle, enshrined in the European Union Treaty, determines when the bloc is allowed intervene in member states’ affairs. The German government believes the EU has no legal justification for imposing the quota.

The government also contends that “a large number” of EU states already reject the quota, including the United Kingdom. Germany is apparently hoping to block the directive on the basis of this Europe-wide alliance.

According to the paper, Merkel sent a written order to Labour Minister Ursula von der Leyen – a known supporter of a women’s quota in Germany – to alter her ministry’s lack of an objection to the EU directive, so that the cabinet could present a unified face to Germany’s EU officials.

The Local/bk

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

WORKING IN GERMANY

Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Bavaria is no doubt a beautiful state with a strong economy, but can be a hard place for non-German speakers to integrate. The Local takes a look at job opportunities in Germany’s southeastern 'Free State.'

Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Munich ranks third in German cities with the highest total GDP, behind Berlin and Hamburg, but in terms of GDP per capita, it’s higher than both of them.

It also consistently ranks high, often highest, in terms of average household income.

As of 2023, nine of the 40 companies listed on DAX, Germany’s stock index, were based in Bavaria. Seven of those are based specifically in Munich.

While Frankfurt is commonly known to be Germany’s business capital, Munich can claim the title of Germany’s insurance capital, which is saying something, as Germany is home to some of the largest insurance firms in the world, like Allianz.

Beyond the state’s capital city, a number of international companies are based elsewhere in Bavaria, particularly in the Franken region, near Nuremberg.

Which companies actively hire English speakers?

Bavaria, and Munich in particular, is home to a number of companies at the forefront of international business. But the state is known for its traditional, sometimes conservative, culture, which affects its business culture as well.

Whereas companies embracing English as their primary business language are easy to find in Berlin, the practice is less common in the south. That said, there are some notable exceptions. 

Sportswear giants, Adidas and Puma, both have their headquarters near Nuremberg in Herzogenaurach, and regularly recruit English speaking international talent.

“As an international company, our teams reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities,” Jon Greenhalgh, Senior Manager Media Relations for Adidas told The Local. “Fostering a culture of inclusion where we value and leverage differences, ensures that we can authentically engage with our employees and truly connect with our consumers.”

He added that around 40 per cent of Adidas’ Germany-based employees are foreign nationals, from over 100 different countries.

Siemens and BMW rank among Bavaria’s top employers, and are also known to hire their fair share of foreigners.

“In Germany, we recently had around 2,000 open positions,” Konstanze Somborn told The Local on behalf of Siemens AG.

He added that Siemens operates in 190 countries. “That is why we value international teams very much…English as a common language is very usual.”

READ ALSO: ‘Which German companies want to hire foreigners?’

Similarly, BMW hires workers from a variety of backgrounds. 

“Every year, we hire lots of internationals and welcome them to the BMW Group,” Dr. Hans-Peter Ketterl, a press spokesman for BMW Group told The Local. 

But not all of these positions are available to non-German speakers.

Ketterl added that BMW’s working language is German in the country, even though, “English is an indispensable entry requirement as the second corporate language in many areas of the company.”

Check job boards and follow best practices

If it’s your first time applying for jobs in Germany, make sure to change your resume to the German format, even for English positions.

While Germany is home to its own job boards, like Xing, LinkedIn is probably the best place to start. In addition to searching for positions based in your preferred location, you can check relevant groups, like Munich Startups, to broaden your horizons.

The English Jobs in Germany website is also a good resource to start with. 

SHOW COMMENTS