"We, the first Trio of Presidencies Germany, Portugal and Slovenia recognise the need for a common declaration and present it at the Informal Meeting of Ministers for Gender Equality and Family Affairs on 15/16 May 2007.
1. We reaffirm that gender equality is a fundamental right, a fundamental principle of the European Union enshrined in the EC Treaty, as well as one of the EU objectives, reconfirmed in the Berlin Declaration on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the signature of the Treaties of Rome, and a necessary condition for the achievement of the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs.
2. We recognise that gender equality policies are essential instruments for social cohesion, economic growth, prosperity and competitiveness and need to be implemented through specific measures and by mainstreaming equality between women and men in all relevant activities. [extract]