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BackThe EU Commission concludes in a recently published report that 13 years after the adoption of the groundbreaking Equality Directives all Member States have transposed the provisions of the European Union against any form of discrimination on grounds of ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation into a single national act. However, in practice a rigorous application of these legal provisions is still faced with some obstacles.
Victims of discrimination must be provided with actual protection
The Treaty of Amsterdam authorized the EU in 1999 to tackle discrimination on grounds of ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. The led to the adoption of the Framework Directive for equal treatment in employment and occupation and the Directive implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin. The anti-discrimination provisions of the EU harmonise rights and obligations of EU countries and introduce procedures to help victims of discrimination. All EU citizens have a right to legal protection against direct and indirect discrimination, to equal treatment in employment and occupation, to support from national equality bodies and to judicial and/or administrative procedures for legal redress. However, the fact is that in practice people are not always aware that the EU provisions themselves protect them against discrimination, whether it concerns an application for a job or the workplace. That is why the EU Commission tries to carry out further sensitisation and information measures, in particular in this area.
EU Commission puts forward recommendations to the proper application of EU provisions on equal treatment
To ensure that the report by the EU Commission does not only address the correct implementation of the individual Equality Directives, but that the application of law will be improved in future, the EU Commission put forward recommendations to the Member States. For example, the reporting of relevant incidents in easier accessible complaint procedures shall be facilitated for victims. The guarantee that victims of discrimination are able to have access to justice is a fundamental point. In this context, it is important to mention that a EU Directive against discrimination outside the field of employment has already been under negotiation for five years. Unfortunately there is currently little hope that agreement will be reached soon at EU level. However, this would complete the picture and should be pursued by the current Greek Presidency.
Further information:
Bericht on the Application of the Equality Directives
The Treaty of Amsterdam authorized the EU in 1999 to tackle discrimination on grounds of ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. The led to the adoption of the Framework Directive for equal treatment in employment and occupation and the Directive implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin. The anti-discrimination provisions of the EU harmonise rights and obligations of EU countries and introduce procedures to help victims of discrimination. All EU citizens have a right to legal protection against direct and indirect discrimination, to equal treatment in employment and occupation, to support from national equality bodies and to judicial and/or administrative procedures for legal redress. However, the fact is that in practice people are not always aware that the EU provisions themselves protect them against discrimination, whether it concerns an application for a job or the workplace. That is why the EU Commission tries to carry out further sensitisation and information measures, in particular in this area.
EU Commission puts forward recommendations to the proper application of EU provisions on equal treatment
To ensure that the report by the EU Commission does not only address the correct implementation of the individual Equality Directives, but that the application of law will be improved in future, the EU Commission put forward recommendations to the Member States. For example, the reporting of relevant incidents in easier accessible complaint procedures shall be facilitated for victims. The guarantee that victims of discrimination are able to have access to justice is a fundamental point. In this context, it is important to mention that a EU Directive against discrimination outside the field of employment has already been under negotiation for five years. Unfortunately there is currently little hope that agreement will be reached soon at EU level. However, this would complete the picture and should be pursued by the current Greek Presidency.
Further information:
Bericht on the Application of the Equality Directives