The European Parliament of Equal Opportunities for All

More than 200 participants from the EU institutions, national and regional authorities, civil society and universities met last Thursday and Friday in order to discuss the future of EU non-discrimination policy. Commissioner Vladimír Špidla welcomed this unique event as a «true ’European Parliament of Equal Opportunities for All’ and a highlight of the 2007 European Year». The conference gave a strong signal to policy makers at the EU and Member States’ level that the legal framework for non-discrimination needs to be completed.

High profile speakers comprised the Vice-president of the European Parliament, Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, the Vice-chairman of the EP Petitions Committee, Michael Cashman, the Social Platform’s Chairman, Fintan Farrell, Commissioner Vladimír Špidla and Director-General Nikolaus van der Pas. All of them underlined that the fight against discrimination is a genuine matter of European values. They emphasized that the guarantee of real equal opportunities for all is a precondition for a fair, cohesive and democratic society.

Impressing first hand testimonials of discrimination in the Plenary by three members of a youth panel and a representative of the AGE Platform and by dozens of concerned people in the workshops which were chaired by Members of the European Parliament made clear that discrimination is still for many people an every day experience. They face it in the job, on the street, in shops and even in their free time.

The conference focused very much on the impact and the effectiveness of European legislation against discrimination. It was highlighted that the Directives on gender equality since 1975 and the 2000 Directives on non-discrimination on grounds of ethnic origin (2000/43/EC) and on equality in employment (2000/78/EC) were among the most advanced laws in the world. An individual rights-based approach to non-discrimination emerged in many countries only after the European Directives have been adopted.

Problems persist, because too many people are not yet aware of their rights and obligations. Moreover, a lack of effective application and enforcement represent significant barriers. Experts and NGOs underscored in particular that the gap between the far reaching material scope of Directive 2000/43/EC and the less advances scope of Directive 2000/78/EC – with gender equality legislation hovering in between – set up hierarchies of discrimination grounds. Participants gave a strong political signal to bridge this gap by new EU legislation.

In his closing remarks Director-General van der Pas called for being pragmatic and using all means at our disposal to overcome discrimination: Positive action, the shift of burden of proof, the close involvement of NGOs and trade unions as well as imaginative and forceful awareness-raising. And he called for being visionary and taking up the chances and opportunities of a more diverse society. Mr van der Pas reminded the participants: «We must never forget: We work for real people with real problems which can be overcome only with real solutions.»

Download the conference documents

Programm

Welcome

Abstracts