This document is an excerpt from the EUR-Lex website
Standards for equality bodies in the field of equal treatment and equal opportunities
SUMMARY OF:
WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DIRECTIVES?
- Directive 2024/1499 and Directive 2024/1500 aim to improve the effectiveness of equality bodies across the European Union (EU) and guarantee their independence.
- Directive 2024/1499 amends Directives 2000/43/EC on equal treatment irrespective of racial or ethnic origin and 2004/113/EC on the equal treatment of men and women outside the employment market.
- Directive 2024/1500 amends Directives 2006/54/EC on gender equality in the labour market and 2010/41/EU on equal treatment between men and women in self-employment.
- The directives broaden the mandate of equality bodies to cover:
- religion or belief, disability, age and sexual orientation in the area of employment (Directive 2000/78/EC);
- gender in the area of social security (Directive 79/7/EEC).
KEY POINTS
Equality bodies are public organisations that assist victims of discrimination, monitor and report on discrimination, promote equal treatment and contribute to raising awareness of people’s rights.
The directives set out common EU-wide minimum requirements for equality bodies in a number of key areas. In particular, they include:
- requirements for EU Member States to:
- designate one or more equality bodies and ensure that the bodies are independent and free from external influence,
- provide the bodies with the human, technical and financial resources needed to carry out their tasks,
- empower the bodies to prevent discrimination and promote equal treatment, for example by promoting equality mainstreaming and positive action,
- raise awareness among the general population of the existence and services of the bodies,
- ensure the bodies are equipped to provide assistance to victims of discrimination,
- empower equality bodies, or other competent bodies, to conduct inquiries and engage in alternative dispute resolution in discrimination cases,
- empower equality bodies to submit observations and act in court proceedings in discrimination cases;
- cooperation among equality bodies and between equality bodies and other public or private entities;
- a requirement for national authorities to consult the bodies on matters of discrimination;
- a requirement for equality bodies to produce:
- a work programme setting out their priorities and prospective activities,
- a publicly available annual activity report,
- a four-yearly report, with recommendations on the state of equal treatment in their Member State;
- a requirement for equality bodies to collect data on their own activities;
- a requirement for the European Commission to establish a list of indicators on the functioning of equality bodies and report on the application and practical effects of the directives;
- a possibility for the European Parliament to discuss the functioning of the equality bodies with the Commission in the context of the monitoring and reporting exercise.
FROM WHEN DO THE RULES APPLY?
The directives have to be transposed into national law by . The rules contained in the directives should apply from the same date.
BACKGROUND
For further information, see:
- Equality bodies (European Commission).
MAIN DOCUMENTS
Council Directive (EU) 2024/1499 of on standards for equality bodies in the field of equal treatment between persons irrespective of their racial or ethnic origin, equal treatment in matters of employment and occupation between persons irrespective of their religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, equal treatment between women and men in matters of social security and in the access to and supply of goods and services, and amending Directives 2000/43/EC and 2004/113/EC (OJ L, 2024/1499, ).
Directive (EU) 2024/1500 of the European Parliament and of the Council of on standards for equality bodies in the field of equal treatment and equal opportunities between women and men in matters of employment and occupation, and amending Directives 2006/54/EC and 2010/41/EU (OJ L, 2024/1500, ).
last update