IL LUNGO (ED INCIDENTATO) PERCORSO DELLA LOTTA ALLA VIOLENZA CONTRO LE DONNE NELL’UNIONE EUROPEA. DALLA QUESTIONE DELL’ADESIONE ALLA CONVENZIONE DI ISTANBUL ALLA PROPOSTA DI UNA DIRETTIVA AD HOC

Despite the various interventions to combat gender-based violence, to date, there is no specific legislative instrument in the EU system relating to the fight against violence against women.
Since 2009, the European Union has taken part, as an observer, in the negotiations of the Council of
Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence,
adopted in 2011. However, the procedure of accession of the Union to the Convention has proved to be
very tortuous, and it has not yet been concluded.
In light of these considerations, the Commission’s proposal for a Directive establishing minimum
standards for combating violence against women and domestic violence, largely inspired by the Istanbul
Convention itself, assumes particular importance.