Report on the Racial Equality and the Employment Equality Directives
On 19 March 2021, shortly before the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March, the Commission adopted its third report on the application of the Racial Equality Directive (Directive 2000/43/EC) and the Employment Equality Directive (Directive 2000/78/EC).
The report highlights good practices in the implementation of the Directives and draws attention to important developments in the case law of the CJEU. It also shows particular challenges, such as a fear of reporting incidents of discrimination, low and diverging levels of compensation issued at national level, difficulties in proving a case of discrimination and little awareness of rights and support mechanisms.
The report identifies possible avenues for follow-up, including strengthening the role of equality bodies, supporting Member States in monitoring the application of the Directives including on ensuring adequate sanctions, and encouraging equality data collection.
Recommendation on standards for equality bodies
A Commission Staff Working Document is accompanying the report. This document assesses the situation of equality bodies across the EU and the implementation of the Commission Recommendation on standards for equality bodies adopted in 2018.
Although many Member States have enabled their equality bodies to play a meaningful role, it shows that most equality bodies are still facing various challenges to their effectiveness, in particular because of inadequate resources, limited legal standing, concerns about independence, little awareness of the equality bodies’ existence and insufficient data collection. This leads to different, and sometimes insufficient, levels of protection against discrimination across the EU.
The Commission will assess whether to propose new legislation to strengthen the role of national equality bodies by 2022.
Documents