Congres zet gelijkheid bovenaan agenda sociaal beleid (en)

400 high-ranking delegates will today discuss the next steps in the EU's strategy to tackle discrimination at the second annual European Equality Summit in Paris. A key element of the discussions will be the European Commission's proposal from July 2008 to extend existing EU protection from discrimination to areas like access to goods and services, education and healthcare. Equality ministers and stakeholders – NGOs, social partners, companies and independent equality bodies from around Europe – will be able to give their views on the proposal, and also follow up on the commitments made by EU countries as part of the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All in 2007.

"Tackling the scourge of discrimination is at the heart of the EU's social agenda," said Equal Opportunities Commissioner Vladimír Špidla. "Our proposals to extend the existing legal framework will ensure everyone in Europe is entitled to equal protection against discrimination. The annual Equality Summit is one of the key legacies of the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All and will help to ensure the commitments made during that Year become a reality."

The Summit, co-organised by the French EU Presidency and the Commission, follows a similar event held in January 2007 in Berlin. It aims to follow up on the commitments undertaken during the European Year of Equal Opportunities, in particular a resolution adopted by national ministers in November 2007. It will also give fresh impetus to anti-discrimination efforts by creating a longer term perspective, including the next summit under the Swedish Presidency in 2009.

The European Year gave a new boost to the fight against discrimination in Europe by mobilising and strengthening cooperation between all the equality players through around 1,000 specific projects in 30 countries. It also helped raise awareness among Europeans of their rights to equal treatment and a life without discrimination.

Yet much remains to be achieved. According to a recent Eurobarometer survey, Europeans think that discrimination remains rife in their country, particularly when it comes to sexual orientation (51%), disability (45%), age and religion (42% each). Around 3 in 10 Europeans report witnessing discrimination or harassment in the past year, and 48% think that not enough efforts are being done to fight this scourge.

The existing EU rules (adopted in 2000) are already recognised as an effective tool to combat certain forms of discrimination: the first directive prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race and ethnic origin (2000/43/EC) in a whole spectrum of situations, extending far beyond the area of employment (i.e., in the provision of goods and services). On the other hand, the second directive – which covers age, disability, sexual orientation and religion or belief – is limited to discrimination in the field of employment (2000/78/EC). This is why the Commission proposed to prohibit discrimination on grounds of disability, age, religion and belief as well as sexual orientation in the situations not covered by the existing EU rules, i.e. beyond employment (IP/08/1071).

The French Presidency of the EU has placed equal opportunities and the fight against discrimination at the centre of the debate on the Social Agenda. The Commission's July 2008 proposal to extend existing EU protection from discrimination will be examined by national ministers meeting in the Employment and Social Affairs Council on 2 October.

Further information

http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=88&langId=en&eventsId=108&furtherEvents=yes