The plans intended to bolster representation of women on company boards by making it mandatory for 40 percent of chairs to be occupied by women.

But EU commissioners meeting to agree on the measures on Tuesday failed to come to a decision.

The proposals have stalled, and will now not be debated until November.

The motion, put forward by EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding, had already come under fire by EU lawyers who said the proposed law might go too far, and countries could not be forced to meet the targets.

Several EU countries are opposed to the plans, which also included heavy sanctions on companies that did not meet quotas, arguing the regulations should not be legislated at EU level, and should be left to national policy makers instead.

Reding said on Twitter: “I will not give up. [Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso] will put this on the Commission agenda again before the end of November.”

Earlier, Reding commented: “Europe has a lot to gain from more diverse corporate boards.”