Implementation of the Race and General Framework Directives

Members of Equinet’s Working Group (WG) on Equality Law in Practice have met twice to discuss the implementation of the Race and the General Framework Directives in their Member States. They have submitted contributions to Equinet which have been gathered into this paper with a view to feed into the European Commission’s Report on the Implementation of the Directives. The Group is in a unique position to comment on the implementation of the Directives across Europe, with members from 23 national equality bodies.

There was a high degree of agreement among WG members as to where further clarification of the Directives’ provisions would be required in order to facilitate the better implementation of the Directives and to enhance their effectiveness.

The WG concluded that a greater approximation of domestic law could also be required in the implementation of certain provisions to ensure equality across the Member States and a homogeneous implementation of EU law. Experiences of the WG members show that, subject to subsidiarity, the standardisation of protection and remedies would enhance equality and freedom of movement between Member States.

The WG also recommends some new measures to combat discrimination for the consideration of the European Commission.