Italy will next month make moves to raise the pension age for women in the public sector from 60 to 65 in compliance with a European Union directive on gender parity, Civil Service Minister Renato Brunetta said on Friday.
Brunetta told a radio talk show the government would talk to unions before adopting a measure in July.
The European Commission on Thursday opened proceedings against Italy for not complying with a recent sentence on making public-sector pension ages the same for men and women.
The EC will give Italy six months to reply before action is taken.
EU Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimir Spidla was scheduled to discuss the matter with Labour Minister Maurizio Sacconi in Rome Friday on the sidelines of a meeting to frame social policy debate at next month's Group of Eight summit in l'Aquila.
Responding to the news from Brussels, Brunetta on Thursday said plans were already in place to bring the retirement ages into line.
The EC's decision had provided ''further stimulus,'' he said.
Also on Thursday, however, Premier Silvio Berlusconi said this was not the right time to adopt the measure.
