Social NGO’s expect Commission to propose widely-backed legislation combating discrimination
Statement of the Social Platform, 20 May 2008
The Social Platform today reaffirmed its support for expanding the EU’s body of legislation to cover all forms of discrimination and in all areas of life. As a broad coalition of more than 30 pan-European networks of NGOs, the Social Platform is confident that the Commission will act in line with the will of the majority and adopt the ambitious legislative proposals by the end of June 2008. The European Parliament, which is expected to call for the all-encompassing legal protection today, is a decisive player adding its voice to the growing demand for the enhanced laws.
All major civil society organisations, as well as equality bodies and representatives of business and trade unions have supported the expanded legislation*, which was announced by the Commission itself eight months ago. The new laws will guarantee protection from discrimination on the grounds of disability, age, religion and sexual orientation for millions of people living in the EU, in access to schools, hospitals and housing, among other areas.
Conny Reuter, President of the Social Platform, said: “Mr Barroso has made an antidiscrimination approach a top priority for the Commission. With one year of his mandate left, we keenly anticipate that this will be translated into action, delivering comprehensive legal protection banning discrimination on all grounds and in all areas of life. There is no equality without the same legal protection for all.”
The Social Platform previously called for the enhanced legal protection in a letter to the President of the European Commission on April 23.
* More than 90 % of respondents to the Commission’s public consultation believe that there should be protection from discrimination on the grounds covered by Article 13 in education, social protection, housing health care or when buying goods or pay for services. 63% of the businesses included in the European Business Test Panel believe that it matters if there are different levels of protection between the EU Member States.
About the Social Platform
The Platform of European Social NGOs (the Social Platform) is the alliance of representative European federations and networks of non-governmental organisations active in the social sector, promoting social justice and participatory democracy by voicing the concerns of its member organisations. The Social Platform and its members are committed to the advancement of the principles of equality, solidarity, non discrimination and the promotion and respect of fundamental rights for all, within Europe and in particular the European Union.
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Press contact
Mehran Khalili
Social Platform
+32 2 508 1632
mehran.khalili@socialplatform.org
Notes to the editor
- For a supplementary press pack on this release, including case studies and specific examples of discrimination that you may find useful, click here
- For the full text of the letter sent by the Social Platform to President Barroso, including useful statistics and further background, click here
- For the Social Platform common position on equality and non-discrimination, click here
- For the draft European Parliament resolution on progress made in equal opportunities and non-discrimination in the EU, click here
