This training took place in person in Dublin, Ireland on 17-18 April 2024. It was aimed at National Equality Bodies experts, concretely members of the Equality Law working group and legal experts of Equality Bodies.
Download the Training Summary below.
Background
Enforcement of Equality legislation is a key element to make the right to equality and non-discrimination a reality. Equality Bodies are often requested to provide their expert opinions to Courts to aid judges and other decision makers that need to interpret and apply Equality legislation. The effective enforcement of equality and non-discrimination legislation often benefits from the collaboration of equality experts (Equality Bodies) and the judiciary and other semi-judicial entities working together. One way to do that has been through the submission of expert opinions by Equality Bodies to individual cases or guidance on interpretation to Courts. The regulation of this power and the form that it takes varies across Europe. In some cases, it takes the form of amicus curiae, in which the Equality Body may decide on their own accord to send their external analysis regarding questions of law, comparative information in their area of expertise, and in others it is delivered upon request by the Court and takes the form of expert opinions. Furthermore, Courts may have the option to request such information freely or have an obligation to do so under national law in cases that have an equality and non-discrimination element. As analysed in the first chapters of the Equality Law Working Group Discussion paper 2022, Equality Bodies working on cases without an identifiable victim: Actio popularis, not all Equality Bodies across Europe have legal standing before courts and/or amicus curiae powers, while some have had a long tradition of submitting such opinions to national and international Courts. The Directive proposals on Standards for Equality Bodies foresee this kind of power to be given to all Equality Bodies, necessitating a discussion and training on the subject.
Objective
The training provided legal experts in Equality Bodies with the tools and know-how, through a practical perspective, to submit expert opinions and amicus curiae briefs to national and European Courts.
Resources
Download the accessible version of the Equinet Training Summary in Word format.
For further information, contact Jone Elizondo Urrestarazu (jone.elizondo@equineteurope.org).