The Council of the European Union adopted EU directives on standards for equality bodies, which are intended to strengthen the role and position of national equality bodies by expanding their competencies and powers, enabling additional resources and a higher degree of independence. The directives aim to strengthen protection against discrimination throughout Europe, and their adoption, as part of binding legislation, represents a significant step towards better implementation of the EU law on equal treatment, which aims to enable all citizens of member states to enjoy the right to equality.
The European Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli, welcomed the adoption of the directives and assessed that independent and strong equality bodies are an adequate legal remedy in cases of discrimination, while Patrick Charlier, president of the Executive Board of Equinet, a network of European equality bodies of which the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality is also a member, said that this represents a historic achievement that will ensure more equal access to justice for all those who continue to experience discrimination in Europe.