Limited scope of new Commission initiative to fight discrimination risks excluding certain minorities
It has recently become clear that the European Commission, after consulting a wide range of stakeholders on new initiatives to prevent and combat discrimination outside employment, intends to limit its new draft directive to discrimination on the ground of disability. Although the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) welcomes action against discrimination towards disabled people, which is long overdue, the ETUC is disappointed about the limited scope of the new initiative.
In its response to the Commission’s consultation, it argued in favour of a broad initiative that would include discrimination on grounds of age, sexual orientation and religion. This would, in the ETUC’s view, be a clear case of ‘better regulation’ to avoid different rules governing different grounds of discrimination, giving rise to legal and practical inconsistencies, which could cause problems especially in situations of multiple discrimination.
Said ETUC General Secretary John Monks: “A broad directive covering all the grounds mentioned in Article 13 of the Treaty would give a strong message to the Member States of the EU and their citizens that we cannot build a modern and cohesive society on discrimination. With the ageing of our populations, the growing diversity of our societies in terms of ethnic origin and religion, and the increasing intolerance against people because of their different sexual orientations, a strong and coherent body of law - protecting all our citizens from discrimination wherever they are in the EU – should be the priority target. Limiting the initiative now to disability leaves other grounds uncovered in the foreseeable future by EU-wide standards.”
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