Men should be encouraged take on at least half of all domestic chores as part of a European-wide 'strategy for equality', according to a group of Euro MPs.

A European Parliament committee has called for a Brussels-backed campaign to promote an 'equal division of domestic work'.

The Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality said men needed to be pressured into doing more around the house to take the 'unequal division of family responsibilities'.

Men should be encouraged take on at least half of all domestic chores as part of a European-wide 'strategy for equality', according to a group of Euro MPs

MEPs said 'measures encouraging men's participation in domestic labour' should be introduced across the EU.

In the UK, 70 per cent of all housework is done by women, according to equality campaigners. Even when women are working over 30 hours a week, on average they take on nearly two-thirds of all household chores.

The EU's housework equality drive was included in the 'EU Strategy for equality between women and men post 2015'.

The main aim of the 'equality strategy' is to tackle domestic violence and the gender pay gap.

It claims there has 'been a slowdown in political action and reform for gender equality during the last decade at EU level'.

Ukip MEP Louise Bours said it was up to adults to decide who does what, adding: 'It is not the place of any government, and certainly not the place of EU bureaucrats, to decide who does and who doesn't do the dishes'

But as well as focusing on an increase in paternity leave and flexible working, it also called for the introduction of 'awareness campaigns for the equal division of domestic work', Huffington Post UK revealed.

Produced by German MEP Maria Noichi, the strategy read: 'The rapporteur is calling on the Commission to consider whether it should lay down specific targets and penalties with a view to reducing the gender pay gap.

'Furthermore, if a better work-life balance is to be achieved, men will have to devote more time to housework and caring.'

Ukip MEP Louise Bours accused the EU of interfering in people's home lives.

She said: 'What kind of organisation interferes to this extent in the private lives of people – their marriages, their partnerships?