24-05-2023 10:00
Equality in the EU - Exchange of views with Equinet
On Wednesday, 24 May 2023, the FEMM Committee exchanged views with representatives of Equinet and national equality bodies.
With a view to the upcoming work on the Commission directive on equality bodies, the FEMM committee invited representatives from Equinet and five national equality bodies to exchange views on the role and work of Equinet and the proposed directive from the Commission.
Equality bodies are public institutions, which Member States are required to set up under EU law. Their purpose is to promote equality for all, tackle discrimination and provide assistance to victims of discrimination. They are part of the institutional checks and balances in a healthy democracy and play a fundamental role in the non-discrimination architecture of the EU.
The Commission is now proposing a set of binding rules to strengthen the role and independence of equality bodies. Strengthening equality bodies would mean safeguarding equality and ensuring non-discrimination in people's everyday lives.