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The proposal of a comprehensive anti-discrimination directive
On 2 July 2008, after years of negotiations, the European Commission proposed a single anti-discrimination directive which covers protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation, age, disability, religion and belief with regard to access to social protection (including social security), goods and services (including housing), health care and education.
The new directive would come on top of four other directives: one on discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin, both within and outside the labour market, one on discrimination on the labour market, one on equal treatment between men and women as regards access to employment and one on equal treatment between men and women as regards access to and supply of goods and services:.
- Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation
- Directive 2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000 implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin
Gender Equality directives establishing equality bodies:
- Directive 2002/73/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2002 amending Council Directive 76/207/EEC on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions
- Directive 2004/113/EC of 13 December 2004 implementing the principle of equal treatment between men and women in the access to and supply of goods and services
The European Commission facilitates an ongoing Forum on the implementation of Article 5 of Directive 2004/113/EC regulating access to and supply of insurance and related financial goods and service. The forum brings together all relevant stakeholders including umbrella NGOs, insurance and financial business, representatives of national governments, Equinet and national equality bodies.
On the 2nd April 2009 the proposed directive has been voted and agreed within the European Parliament. The proposal must now be approved unanimously by all the member states in the European Council, in order for the directive to become EU legislation. If approved as it was proposed by the Commission, the law will prohibit among others direct and indirect discrimination as well as harassment and victimisation on the grounds of sexual orientation, age, disability and religion/belief outside the labour market.
Relevant links
Equinet letter on the newly proposed anti-discrimination to the Spanish Minister in the view of the Spanish EU Presidency (28 November 2009)
PDF Document
Equinet letter to the Swedish Presidency of the EU in support to the EC anti-discrimination Directive proposal (10 July 2009)
(PDF document)
Report on the proposal for a Council directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation (COM(2008)0426 – C6 0291/2008 – 2008/0140(CNS))
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (Rapporteur: Kathalijne Maria Buitenweg)
(PDF document)
Equinet's comment to the European Council on the proposed directive (28 November 2008)
(PDF document)
Equinet's statement on the proposed directive (7 July 2008)
(PDF document)
Equinet letter "New initiatives to prevent and combat discrimination outside the labour market" (25 April 2008)
(PDF document)
The proposed Directive was backed on Monday 16 March 2009 by the EP Civil Liberties Committee, which particularly highlighted the need to tackle multiple discrimination.
Read here the EP Press release
Other platform / NGOs statements
- Joint ETUC and Social Platform Declaration to the EU and Member States (23 October 2009)
- ILGA-Europe Memorandum to the Swedish Presidency of the EU (1 July 2009)
- Social Platform's expectations for the next Equality Summit in Sweden on 16-17 November (28 May 2009)
- Social Platform amendments (5 December 2008)
- ILGA-Europe statement on the directive (October 2008)
- AGE (European older people's platform) press release on the need of a single anti-discrimination directive (22 May 2008)
- Equality and Diversity Forum (EDF) letter to president Barroso (24 April 2008)
- Amnesty International letter on anti-discrimination directive (9 April 2008)
Read the full text of the proposed directive |
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