15.7.2010 Official Journal of the European Union L 180/1 (Legislative acts) | DIRECTIVES DIRECTIVE 2010/41/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 7 July 2010 on the application of the principle of equal treatment between men and women engaged in an activity in a self-employed capacity and repealing Council Directive 86/613/EEC THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 157(3) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1), Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (3), Whereas: Council Directive 86/613/EEC of 11 December 1986 on the application of the principle of equal treatment between men and women engaged in an activity, including agriculture, in a self-employed capacity, and on the protection of self-employed women during pregnancy and motherhood (*) ensures application in Member States of the principle of equal treatment as between men and women engaged in an activity in a self-employed capacity, or contributing to the pursuit of such activity. As far as self-employed workers and spouses of self-employed workers are concerned, Directive 86/613/EEC has not been very effective and its scope should be reconsidered, as discrimination based on sex and harassment also occur in areas () O] C 228, 22.9.2009, p. 107. (?) Position of the European Parliament of 6 May 2009 (not yet published in the Official Journal), Position of the Council at first reading of 8 March 2010 (O] C 123 E, 12.5.2010, p. 5), Position of the European Parliament of 18 May 2010. () OJ L 359, 19.12.1986, p. 56. outside salaried work. In the interest of clarity, Directive 86/613/EEC should be replaced by this Directive. In its Communication of 1 March 2006 entitled ‘Roadmap for equality between women and men’, the Commission announced that in order to improve governance of gender equality, it would review the existing Union gender equality legislation not included in the 2005 recast exercise with a view to updating, modernising and recasting where necessary. Directive 86/613/EEC was not included in the recasting exercise. In its conclusions of 5 and 6 December 2007 on ‘Balanced roles of women and men for jobs, growth and social cohesion’, the Council called on the Commission to consider the need to revise, if necessary, Directive 86/613/EEC in order to safeguard the rights related to motherhood and fatherhood of self-employed workers and their helping spouses. The European Parliament has consistently called on the Commission to review Directive 86/613/EEC, in particular so as to boost maternity protection for self- employed women and to improve the situation of spouses of self-employed workers. The European Parliament has already stated its position on these matters in its resolution of 21 February 1997 on the situation of the assisting spouses of the self- employed (4. In its Communication of 2 July 2008 entitled ‘Renewed Social Agenda: Opportunities, access and solidarity in 21st century Europe’, the Commission has affirmed the need to take action on the gender gap in entrepre- neurship as well as to improve the reconciliation of private and professional life. () O] C 85, 17.3.1997, p. 186.