EU fight against discrimination
The European Commission takes action to:
- improve knowledge of discrimination by raising awareness among the population of their rights and obligations and also of the benefits of diversity;
- support intermediary actors such as NGOs, social partners and equality bodies to improve their capacity to combat discrimination;
- support the development of equality policies at national level and encourage the exchange of good practices between EU countries;
- achieve real change in the area of anti-discrimination through anti-discrimination training activities;
- push for business-oriented diversity managementas part of a strategic response to a more diversified society, customer base, market structure and workforce.
In addition to the two Directives (Racial Equality Directive and Employment Framework Directive), the European Commission adopted in July 2008 a Communication which presents a comprehensive approach to stepping up action against discrimination and to promoting equal opportunities and a Commission Decision creating a non-discrimination governmental experts group.
The European Commission supports equal treatment of the Roma, the EU largest ethnic minority. See recent Roma policy developments.