Tackling discrimination

EU legislation 

Since 2000, in addition to laws covering the equal treatment of men and women, EU anti-discrimination legislation has been in place to ensure minimum levels of equal treatment and protection for everyone living and working in Europe. These laws are designed to ensure equal treatment irrespective of:

• Racial or ethnic origin
• Religion and belief
• Disability
• Sexual Orientation
• Age 

These laws aim to ensure equal treatment in many aspects of daily life - from the workplace, to issues covering education, healthcare and access to goods and services.

Informing people of their rights and obligations under EU equality legislation is of key importance to the European Commission. 

Getting help

For further information on your rights and obligations under EU equality legislation, as well as information on where you can go to in your country for advice and more information, see the related links on this page. 

Legislation is vital in the fight for equality but we know that we have to do more. This is why the European Union is supporting a range of measures to combat discrimination, from funding projects, to carrying out research to supporting awareness-raising and information campaigns. 

Supporting organisations

The European Commission wants to go further to ensure that a complete cross-section of society is involved in creating equality across Europe. This means bringing together and working with a wide range of organisations and bodies. The European Commission supports a broad range of civil society organisations representing people who may face discrimination in Europe.  

Raising awareness 

EU legislation and policy initiatives are only effective if people know and understand them. The European Commission has launched a pan-EU information campaign 'For Diversity. Against Discrimination'. The campaign aims to raise awareness of equality laws and to promote the benefits of diversity for the workplace and society generally. 

Selected national awareness-raising activities were first supported by the Community Action programme to combat discrimination in 2004.

Training 

The European Commission recognises that training is one of the best tools to help achieve real change in the area of anti-discrimination. In 2007, through the PROGRESS funding programme, the European Commission set up a new series of anti-discrimination training activities, which were continued through 2008. 

Roma 

The Roma community is now the EU’s largest ethnic minority. Measures to promote the equal treatment of Roma are therefore of particular concern to the European Union. The EU is taking action to support the Roma, Gypsy and Traveller community across Europe. 

Governmental expert group in the field of non-discrimination

In order to uphold and advance the legacy of the 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities, the European Commission has set up in July 2008 a governmental expert group in the field of non-discrimination and the promotion of equality. The group examines the impact of national and EU-level non-discrimination measures, validates good practice through peer learning and evaluates the effectiveness of non-discrimination policies.