Developing Anti-discrimination Law in Europe - the 27 EU Member States, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey compared
In a great many European countries anti-discrimination legislation has been adopted and reviewed over recent years. This major and unprecedented operation was originally set in motion with the adoption of the two pieces of European legislation in 2000: the Racial Equality Directive (2000/43) and the Employment Equality Directive (2000/78). The transposition of these Directives into the national legal systems of the 27 Member States is described in a series of annually updated country reports produced by the European Network of Legal Experts in the non-discrimination field. In addition to the EU Member States, the candidate countries Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey have been part of the Network since December 2009 and reports have been issued for these countries as well. This Network was established and is managed by Human European Consultancy and the Migration Policy Group on behalf of the European Commission.
The reports were written by independent national experts in each Member State. The information was provided in response to questions set out in a template format which closely followed the provisions of the two Directives. The Network’s ground coordinators (experts on the Directives’ five discrimination grounds) and content manager read and commented on various drafts of the reports. The 30 reports cover national law, the establishment of enforcement mechanisms and the adoption of other measures. They contain the information current as of 1 January 2011.
This Comparative Analysis, drafted by Isabelle Chopin and Thien Uyen Do (Migration Policy Group), compares the information set out in the 2011 country reports in a format mirroring that of the country reports themselves and draws on some conclusions from the information contained in them. The objective of the Comparative analysis, drafted by Isabelle Chopin and Thien Uyen Do (Migration Policy Group), is to compare and contrast the information set out in the 2011 country reports in a format mirroring that of the country reports annually prepared by the European Network of Legal Experts in the non-discrimination field. In addition, 10 years after the adoption of the Racial Equality Directive and the Employment Equality Directive, the Comparative Analysis reflects on the transposition of these landmark instruments and draws on some conclusions regarding the effective implementation of anti-discrimination law in Europe. Significant EU and national case-law and key issues are highlighted so to enrich the overview.
