It has been reported that the European Commission on Monday directed Italy to balance out a discrepancy between retirement ages for men and women on a timetable established in court.

A proposal from Italian Welfare Minister Maurizio Sacconi to slowly raise the retirement age for women working in the public sector through 2015, was rejected by EC Deputy President and Justice Commissioner Viviano Reding.

According to the reports of Ansa, Reding directed Italy to raise its retirement age for women in the public sector from 60 to 65 by 2012.

Referring to November's European Court of Justice ruling on the issue, Reding said, "It seems reasonable to give Italy till January 2012. Democracies must always respect court sentences."

The Italian government would "evaluate the EC's stance, which we believe is too closely in line with the ECJ's ruling," Sacconi has said

Italy could be hit with a $22.5 million fine if the country does not comply with the EU standards of gender parity, Welfare Ministry officials further added. (With Inputs from Agencies)