A true Union of Equality should be the priority of the next EU legislative mandate! We join the call of equality networks for a comprehensive equality framework against discrimination in the EU… to make equality of treatment a reality for all!
Together with the European Disability Forum (EDF), ILGA-Europe, the European Network Against Racism (ENAR), ERGO Network, OII Europe, IGLYO, EL*C, and TGEU – Transgender Europe, we ask for concrete action on equality, anti-racism and fundamental rights during the next European legislative mandate.
Ahead of the upcoming EU elections, our joint statement calls on the European Union to put in place comprehensive legal protection against discrimination in the EU.
Our concrete proposals
We also propose specific actions to enable the EU Institutions to prioritise and mainstream equality and non-discrimination, with special attention to vulnerable groups and intersectional discrimination:
- Appoint an EU Commissioner with a strong mandate for Equality and Fundamental Rights.
- Strengthen the European Commission’s services working on equality, non-discrimination and anti-racism, especially by establishing a new Directorate-General for Equality and Fundamental Rights.
- Revise and introduce strong strategies on all grounds under the Equality Framework beyond 2025 and ensure their mainstreaming in all policy areas.
- Ensure that the Equality Task Force has a strong mandate to ensure cooperation between different services on the implementation of the Equality Frameworks and that it works transparently and in close consultation and cooperation with European Equality networks.
- Host an annual “Equality Forum,” gathering policymakers, civil society, and other interested actors to evaluate and develop initiatives for realising a Union of Equality. The Forum should focus particularly on intersectional equality.
- Create an EU Council formation on Equality.
- Ensure the next EU budget properly funds civil society organisations working on equality, non-discrimination and anti-racism.
- Ensure discrimination is also addressed in the work of the EU in external action, international cooperation and humanitarian action.
We furthermore call for meaningful involvement of equality and anti-discrimination organisations in the work of the European Union and for diversity to be reflected in the EU Institutions’ staff.
“Only by working together will the European Union truly become a Union of Equality that reflects its motto of “United in Diversity.”
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