“The EU must demonstrate resolve at this critical moment and deliver a strong message affirming our commitment to values such as human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and human rights,” asserts a letter endorsed by Belgium’s Minister of Equal Opportunities, Rob Beenders.
In February, the Commission announced its intention to withdraw the 2008 draft directive due to a lack of agreement prospects. The goal was to extend the ban on discrimination based on age, disability, sexual orientation, and religion in the workplace to additional sectors, including social security, housing, education, and healthcare.
Nevertheless, this initiative, designed to address several deficiencies in European non-discrimination legislation, requires approval from all 27 EU member states. After seventeen years of continuous negotiations and compromise proposals, consensus remains elusive, with Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic expressing ongoing reservations.
Conversely, Belgium, Estonia, France, Greece, Ireland, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, and initiator Sweden emphasize in the letter that “support for this directive has never been stronger.” They call upon Commissioner for Equality Lahbib to engage in “renewed and constructive dialogue with member states that still have concerns.”
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