This high-level round table and networking event will take place on 15 October 2024 from 16.00 CET in Brussels, Belgium.
In 2022-24, Equinet and its members played a key role in advancing negotiations around the proposed legislation on Standards for Equality Bodies. To celebrate the historic adoption of the Standards Directives in May 2024, Equinet is organising the high-level roundtable and networking event “Together for equality, stronger for all: Celebrating Standards for Equality Bodies”. The event will take place in person, in Brussels, on 15 October 2024.
The roundtable will take stock of the past years’ legislative journey and look to the future to ensure a successful transposition at the national level, followed by a networking reception to strengthen synergies amongst relevant actors. This celebratory event aims to attract a vast audience of high-level representatives from relevant national ministries, European institutions and civil society with the goal of raising awareness of the importance of the Standards Directives and inspiring participants to contribute to common efforts towards their effective transposition.
This initiative is organised with the support of the German Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (FADA) and Unia – Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunities and the Fight Against Racism and Discrimination.
The objectives of the high-level networking event are three-fold:
- to take stock of the past years’ journey leading to the adoption of the Standards Directives and draw lessons learned on effective negotiation and advocacy to push for a robust transposition;
- to collectively reflect on the priorities and challenges for the next two years of transposition and build intersectoral support;
- to create momentum among high-level allies and consolidate efforts to achieve the effective transposition of the Directives at the national level.
Agenda and Logistics
The event will take place in the afternoon and evening of Tuesday 15 October, preceding the Equinet AGM on Wednesday 16 October. The first part of the event will be a high-level roundtable with Equality Body heads, ministerial and European institutional representatives and civil society followed by a networking reception and a walking dinner party to celebrate the adoption of the Directives and lay the groundwork for continued cooperation on transposition and strengthening Equality Bodies.
Agenda:
15:30 – Registrations open
16:00 – 16:05 Welcoming remarks by Patrick Charlier, Equinet Executive Board Chair and Co-Director of Unia
16:05 – 16:10 Video celebratory message by Commissioner Helena Dalli, DG JUST
16:10 – 16:20 Keynote by Ana Gallego Torres, European Commission Director General for Justice and Consumers, DG JUST
16:20 – 17:10 Roundtable 1 “Looking back: reflecting on our achievements”
This panel conversation aims to take stock of the past years’ legislative journey leading to the adoption of the Standards Directives with a view to identify the challenges experienced and draw lessons learned on effective negotiation and advocacy to strengthen equality bodies in Europe.
With a video message from Paulina Brandberg, Minister for Gender Equality and Working Life of Sweden.
Moderator: Sandra Konstatzky, Director of the Ombud for Equal Treatment at the Federal Chancellery of Austria
Panelists:
- Marc Angel, MEP Co-Rapporteur on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and the Council on standards for equality bodies
- Pablo López Pietsch, Technical Secretary General of the Ministry of Equality of Spain
- Bertil Cottier, European Commission against Racism and Intolerance Chair, Council of Europe
- Isabelle Chopin, Director Migration Policy Group
17:10 – 18:00 Roundtable 2 “Looking ahead: strong Equality Bodies for more equal societies”
This panel aims to collectively reflect on the priorities for the next two years of transposition of the Standards Directives to envision how stronger equality bodies can play a key role in leading to more equal societies.
With a video message from MEP Alice Kuhnke, rapporteur for the opinion of the LIBE Committee on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and the Council on standards for Equality Bodies.
Moderator: Tena Šimonović Einwalter, Ombudswoman of Croatia
Panelists:
- Katarzyna Kotula, Minister for Equality of Poland
- Mario Nava, Director General DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
- Krzysztof Śmiszek, MEP Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
- Catherine Naughton, Executive Director European Disability Forum
18:00 – 18:05 Closing by Ferda Ataman, German Independent Federal Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination and head of the German Federal Antidiscrimination Agency (FADA)
18:05 – 18: 10 Concluding remarks by Patrick Charlier, Equinet Executive Board Chair and Co-Director of Unia
18:10 – 18: 15 Networking reception inaugural message by Equinet Co-Directors Anne Gaspard and Tamás Kádár
18:15 – late Networking dinner and celebrations, with catering from Restaurant albert
Networking reception, dinner, and musical entertainment
This event will comprise a whole evening of celebrations, including a networking reception from 18:15 – 19:30, gourmet vegetarian walking dinner from 19:30 onwards and live music.