EU laughs off 'men in suits'

The European Union's justice commissioner has mocked a meeting held by critics of a plan that would force companies in Europe to place more women on their boards.

"Fortunately, European laws on such matters are not taken in meetings by 10 men in dark suits behind closed doors, but in an open democratic process," commissioner Viviane Reding said.

Britain hosted representatives of 10 member states on Tuesday to consider blocking the proposal being drafted by the EU.

Under the proposal, to be presented by Reding in October, companies in the EU will have to reserve 40% of supervisory board seats for women by 2020.

In early 2011, Reding gave companies a year to voluntarily boost the number of women on their boards.

In 2003, Norway passed a law that obliged publicly listed firms to give 40% of boardroom seats to women by 2008. Spain followed suit with a similar law in 2007 and France did so last year, while similar proposals are dividing opinion in Germany.