Non-discrimination

EU law on gender violence must cover all forms of discrimination, say MEPs

Gender-based violence should be added to the list of crimes to be tackled across borders and the European Commission must table a proposal for an EU-wide directive on gender-based violence, EU lawmakers stated on Thursday (16 September).

Hungary equates ‘LGBT promotion’ in films with horror in viewing age ratings

Hungary's media regulator published guidelines for broadcasters to comply with new LGBT laws on Wednesday (15 September), relegating some films portraying homosexuality or gender identity issues to the same age group restrictions as gory horror movies.

In Hungary, pope says anti-Semitism ‘fuse’ must not be allowed to burn

Pope Francis called on Sunday (12 September) for vigilance against a rise in anti-Semitism, saying during a brief trip to Hungary this was a "fuse that must not be allowed to burn."

In Spain, prosecutors mull charging man who falsely claimed to be victim of hate crime

Prosecutors in Spain on Thursday (9 September) were considering charging a man who claimed to be the victim of a homophobic attack before admitting that the injuries he sustained in the incident were consensual. EURACTIV’s partner EFE reports.

Spanish government reacts to alleged homophobic gang assault

The Spanish government has convened an urgent meeting for Friday (10 September) over an alleged homophobic gang assault on a young man in Madrid that has raised the alarm over hate crimes in the country. EURACTIV’s partner EFE reports.

EU warns Polish regions they could lose funding over ‘LGBT-free’ zones

The European Commission has written to five Polish regional councils urging them to abandon declarations that they are "LGBT-free" in order to receive funding, one of the councils affected confirmed on Monday (6 September).

Why Orbán’s ‘child protection referendum’ makes no sense, and why it does

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's controversial referendum about the so-called "Child Protection Act", which triggered infringement procedures by the European Commission over its measures targeting the LGBTQ+ community, may not be legally sound but makes considerable political sense, writes Zoltán Kovács.

Time for EU’s talk on diversity to be matched by actions, says leading MEP

Ursula von der Leyen’s European Commission is talking a good game when it comes to tackling discrimination on race, gender and sexual identity but now faces a ‘crucial moment’ when these promises must become reality, Swedish MEP Alice Kuhnke tells...

Hungary anti-LGBTQ law to apply around churches

Hungary's government has announced that provisions of its controversial new anti-LGBTQ law will apply around churches as well as schools.

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.

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.

Thousands march for LGBTQ rights in Budapest’s biggest Pride

Thousands of Hungarians marched in Budapest's biggest Pride parade on Saturday (24 July), amid tension sparked by a series of anti-gay steps by prime minister Viktor Orbán.

Renew MEP: Racism is an everyday phenomenon in our societies

Europe needs to face the fact that racism is not something that only happens in the US or elsewhere, but is an everyday phenomenon in our European societies, Hungarian MEP Anna Júlia Donáth (Renew Europe) told EURACTIV. She spoke about...

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.

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, experts and...

Orbán announces referendum on controversial LGBTQI+ law provisions

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced plans on Wednesday (21 July) to call a referendum on child protection issues to combat pressure from the European Union over legislation which the bloc says discriminates against LGBTQI+ people.

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 is...

EU equality bodies and the fight against racial discrimination

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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...

Orbán calls EU action on LGBT rights ‘legalised hooliganism’

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán accused the European Commission on Friday (16 July) of "legalised hooliganism" for launching an infringement action against measures taken by his government that the EU executive said discriminated against LGBT people.

EU companies can ban headscarves under certain conditions, court says

Companies in the European Union can ban employees from wearing a headscarf under certain conditions, if they need to do so to project an image of neutrality to customers, the EU's top court said on Thursday (15 July).

Commission goes after Hungary, Poland over LGBTQI+ rights

The European executive launched three proceedings against Hungary and Poland over what it sees as violations of fundamental rights of LGBTIQ+ people on Thursday (15 July), leaving Budapest and Warsaw two months to respond to its concerns.

UN orders global systemic racism probe

The UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday (13 July) highlighted the global "scourge" of systemic racism and ordered an independent investigation into racially-fuelled police violence around the world.

Hungary rejects EU demand to ditch ‘shameful’ anti-LGBT law

Hungary on Wednesday (7 July) rejected a demand from the European Commission and many EU lawmakers to repeal new legislation banning schools from using materials deemed to promote homosexuality.

EU warns Hungary to fix anti-LGBTQ law or face action

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday (7 July) warned Hungary to reverse course on its controversial LGBTQ law, as pressure mounts on Brussels to cut EU funding to Budapest.