Eurostat statistics on gender differences among Europe's knowledge workers for the year 2004, published in August 2006, indicate that 50.4% of human resources in science and technology (HRST) in Europe were female. Three quarters of them (77.3%) worked in knowledge-intensive services, such as financial intermediation, education or health.
However, only 29% of the EU's 8.7 million scientists and engineers are women, with the exception of the three Baltic states, where women count for more than half of these professions: 55.5% in Lithuania, 51.4% in Latvia and 51% in Estonia. Scientists and engineers (SE) are a particular interest group in the science and technology workforce as they are more likely to be involved in leading-edge technology in physical, mathematical and engineering occupations and life-science and health occupations.
Europe needs more scientists and researchers to achieve scientific and technological excellence and, as women are currently under-represented in the field of scientific research, the Commission is promoting measures specifically aimed towards encouraging women to take part in European research.
