Legislative background

The 1999 Amsterdam Treaty inserted a new Article 13 in the EC Treaty, a general anti-discrimination provision, on the basis of which the European Commission presented three proposals: two legislative measures promoting equal treatment and prohibiting discrimination and an action programme. The Starting Line Group stimulated policy debates on these proposals throughout the European Union.

The Council Directive 2000/43/EC implementing the principle of equal of treatment between persons irrespective of ethnic origin was adopted on 29 June 2000, and was followed by the adoption of the Council Directive 2000/78/EC establishing a general framework for equal treament in employment and occupation and of the Council Decision establishing a Community action programme to combat discrimination (2001 to 2006) on 27 November 2000.