The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) will, for the first time, open its doors in Vilnius on 16 December 2009.

The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) will, for the first time, open its doors in Vilnius on 16 December 2009. The Presidents of Lithuania and Latvia, Dalia Grybauskaitė and Valdis Zatlers, along with Commissioner Vladimír Špidla, the Institute's Chair of the Management Board, Eva Welskop-Deffaa and the Director of the Institute, Virginija Langbakk will unveil the new premises at a ribbon cutting ceremony. The ceremony will honour the launch of one of the EU's youngest agencies whose aim is the promotion of gender equality issues.

Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Commissioner Vladimir Špidla said: "Achieving more equality between women and men in Europe has been a key priority for the European Commission over the past five years. I congratulate the Institute on its opening in Vilnius and am certain that it will further strengthen our efforts to promote gender equality and fight discrimination across Europe over the coming years."

The EIGE's Management Board, the Institute's decision-making body, will also convene its last official meeting of 2009 in Vilnius. On 17 December, stakeholders, NGOs and members of the general public interested in the EIGE's activities will have the opportunity to meet the EIGE's Management Board from 10:30 to 16.30 at the Novotel Hotel, Gedimino av. 16.

About the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE)

The EIGE is a European agency created to support the Member States and the EU in their efforts to promote gender equality, to fight gender discrimination and to raise awareness about gender issues.

Its tasks are to collect and analyse comparable data on gender issues, to develop methodological tools, in particular for the integration of the gender dimension in all policy areas, to facilitate the exchange of best practice and dialogue among stakeholders, and to raise awareness among EU citizens.

The bodies of the Institute are a Management Board (decision-making body), an Experts' Forum (consultative body) and a Director (executive body) and his/her staff. The Management Board adopts the annual work programme, the medium-term work programme as well as the Institute's budget. The Experts' Forum supports the Director in ensuring the excellence and independence of the Institute. The Director, who is the legal representative of the Institute, is responsible for the daily management of the Institute and the implementation of the work programme.

The Institute's budget for the period 2007-2013 is 52.5 million €. The Institute will employ approximately 30 staff during 2010 and envisages the engagement of seconded national experts to enhance its expertise in the field of gender equality.