Fuente: © European Parliament
http://www.europarl.eu.int/

EU: MEPs call for comprehensive legislation to combat discrimination

/noticias.info/ The European Parliament adopted a report calling on the Commission to adhere to its commitment to propose a "comprehensive directive" to combat any discrimination in access to goods and services on grounds of sex, race, religion, disability, age or sexual orientation. The own-initiative report adopted with 362 votes in favour, 262 against and 56 abstentions, also demands effective sanctions and support for victims.

Speaking in the debate Liz Lynne (ALDE, West Midlands, UK), called for comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation. "We must move away from the piecemeal approach, there can be no hierarchy of discrimination. A new directive must cover discrimination to access and services on all grounds that have not been covered as yet under Article 13 legislation: disability, age, religion or belief and sexual orientation. Race and Gender are already covered, as is employment. The Commission made the commitment to a comprehensive directive in its work programme for 2008: There appears to be some backtracking on this and they might only bring forward legislation on disability and nothing else, this is not acceptable. Every EU citizen must be treated equally."

A comprehensive directive to end hierarchy of protection

The report on the progress made in equal opportunities and non-discrimination adopted on Tuesday reminds the Commission of its commitment to put forward a comprehensive directive to outlaw discrimination in goods and services on all grounds - covering disability, age, religion or belief and sexual orientation - "to complete the package of anti-discrimination legislation".

Discrimination on grounds of gender, and racial or ethnic origin is already covered by two existing directives. Parliament calls for "putting an end to the hierarchy of protection against different grounds of discrimination". It would not "make sense to outlaw discrimination in one area whilst allowing it in another", they say.

Defeat for attempt to block further EU legislation

An amendment tabled by the EPP-ED group which deplored discrimination but said that "a non-specific directive prohibiting discrimination" was not "the appropriate tool for dealing with the complex needs of individuals" was defeated with 284 votes in favour to 371 against.

Combat all forms of discrimination

MEPs stress that any new directive would have to prohibit all forms of discrimination, including direct and indirect discrimination, in all areas that fall under EU competence as well as education, lifelong learning, social protection and social security, housing and healthcare, images of discriminated groups in the media and advertising, physical access for people with disabilities to information, telecommunication, electronic communications, transport modes and public spaces, social advantages and access to and supply of goods and services which are available to the public.

The report also states that future legislation has to include specific provisions to combat multiple discrimination "which can be invoked on either one or a combination of more than one of the grounds".

Differences in treatment based on nationality or language which may constitute indirect discrimination is also included in the report.

Deficiencies in implementation of existing legislation

Moreover, the Parliament is concerned about the deficiencies in the transposition and implementation of the existing directives on equal treatment in employment and occupation (Directive 2000/78/EC) and of persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin (Directive 2000/43/EC) by some Member States. MEPs, therefore, urge the Commission to continue pressure on Member States through infringement and non-compliance procedures to fully transpose these directives as soon as possible.

They also believe that exceptions linked to marital status in the Employment Directive 2000/78/EC has limited the protection against discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation offered by the Directive.

Effective sanctions and assistance for victims

Sanctions against a violation of national provisions must be "effective, proportionate and dissuasive", say MEPs. They recall that the burden to act is often on the victim to challenge the perpetrator "often with neither support from any public authority nor access to public funding for legal aid". Therefore, "Member States should ensure that victims of discrimination are automatically assisted in legal proceedings, if necessary by public funding through national legal aid schemes", says the report. notas_de_prensa_archivo