ABSTRACT
At its inception in 1997 the European Employment Strategy (EES) made the bold move of placing the goal of equality between women and men at the heart of its emerging employment policy for the European Union (EU). Gender equality was established as one of four pillars of the strategy during a period when political and institutional forces came together to strengthen commitment to equality goals (Stratigaki 2004). In retrospect, this early EES period can be regarded as at least a high point, if not quite a golden age for gender equality policy. The crisis has impacted on all aspects of the European project, calling into question the foundations, the membership and the goals of European integration. Coming at a time of significant policy reformulation, the crisis has also had important medium-to long-term effects on European and national policy agendas, as well as on the position of gender equality.
