Article 1
The Staff Regulations of officials of the European Communities are hereby amended as follows: 1. The following Article shall be inserted after Article 1: 'Article 1a 1. Officials shall be entitled to equal treatment under these Staff Regulations without reference, direct or indirect, to race, political, philosophical or religious beliefs, sex or sexual orientation, without prejudice to the relevant provisions requiring a specific marital status. 2. With a view to ensuring ensure full equality in practice between men and women in working life, the principle of equal treatment shall not prevent the institutions of the European Communities from maintaining or adopting measures providing for specific advantages in order to make it easier for the under-represented sex to pursue a vocational activity or to prevent or compensate for disadvantages in professional careers. 3. The institutions shall determine, by agreement, after consulting the Staff Regulations Committee, measures and actions to promote equal opportunities for men and women in the areas covered by these Staff Regulations, and shall adopt the appropriate provisions notably to redress such de facto inequalities as hamper opportunities for women in these areas.` 2. The second paragraph of Article 27 shall be replaced by the following: 'Officials shall be selected without distinction as to race, political, philosophical or religious beliefs, sex or sexual orientation and without reference to their marital status or family situation.`