EU equality bodies have a significant potential to contribute to more equal societies, and they have proved to be effective agents of change.
You can also read this Special Report in Romanian.
Last September, the European Commission proposed an EU Anti-Racism Action Plan, which laid out policies to address structural racism and provide financial support for national positive-action policies.
The EU executive also plans to review its existing legal protections, such as the Racial Equality Directive, and aims to present new legislation by 2022, especially in the area of law enforcement.
At the same time, EU and national equality bodies are crucial in promoting equality, as well as in implementing and monitoring EU equal treatment legislation.
This Special Report examines their current working conditions and what is needed to make their contribution to the implementation of EU legislation effective.
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EU’s anti-racism coordinator: Collecting equality data is vital tool in fight against racism
Without measuring and quantifying the extent of discrimination and inequalities in Europe, it becomes very difficult to effectively tackle them, the EU's first anti-racism coordinator, Michaela Moua, told EURACTIV. You can also read this interview in Romanian. Michaela Moua …
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More support needed for national equality bodies, stakeholders warn
You can also read this article in Romanian. National equality bodies across Europe still struggle with different levels of independence and competencies, and the EU should do more to support their efforts in the fight against racial discrimination, …
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MEP: Diversity is ‘severely missing’ in European Parliament
Members of the European Parliament are directly elected by citizens to represent them and accordingly should reflect European society, an MEP from the Parliament’s Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup (ARDI) told EURACTIV.
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9 in 10 hate crimes go unreported, EU fundamental rights agency finds
Up to 9 in 10 hate crimes and attacks in the EU still go unreported because victims face difficulty reporting them, do not trust the police and believe that nothing would change if they report it, according to a new study by the EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency.
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French equality body sounds alarm over extension of COVID-19 pass
France's equality agency, Défenseur des droits, has published a 10-point opinion paper raising concerns about the controversial extension of COVID-19 pass, which is now pending approval by the Constitutional Council on 5 August following approval by the French parliament.