Tackling discrimination
The EU acts on behalf of EU citizens to prevent them being discriminated against on grounds of racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.
EU fight against discrimination
The European Commission takes action to:
- improve knowledge of discrimination by raising awareness among the population of their rights and obligations and also of the benefits of diversity;
- support intermediary actors such as NGOs, social partners and equality bodies to improve their capacity to combat discrimination;
- support the development of equality policies at national level and encourage the exchange of good practices between EU countries;
- achieve real change in the area of anti-discrimination through anti-discrimination training activities;
- push for business-oriented diversity management as part of a strategic response to a more diversified society, customer base, market structure and workforce.
In addition to the two Directives (Racial Equality Directive and Employment Framework Directive), the European Commission adopted in July 2008 a Communication which presents a comprehensive approach to stepping up action against discrimination and to promoting equal opportunities and a Commission Decision creating a non-discrimination governmental experts group.
The European Commission supports equal treatment of the Roma, the EU largest ethnic minority. See recent Roma policy developments.
