THE EUROPEAN Commission announced a draft law yesterday that seeks to stop discrimination outside work on grounds of age, sexual orientation, disability and religion or belief.
It was one of a raft of proposals announced by the commission aimed at improving social protection across the EU amid accusations that it is increasingly detached from the everyday worries of its citizens.
Up to now, European anti-discrimination legislation only covered the workplace and employment.
Under existing rules, only discrimination based on race and gender was also prohibited in other areas.
The proposed directive will extend those protections in areas of social protection (such as social welfare and healthcare), education and access to goods and services that are commercially available to the public, including housing.
The proposal will not cover family law and, as a result, will not legalise same-sex marriages.
Marie Donnelly, director at the commission’s employment and social affairs directorate-general, said that Ireland had given an example to the rest of Europe in this area.
“Ireland has an integrated equality agenda. Now the rest of the EU is catching up,” she pointed out.
The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (Glen) welcomed the announcement yesterday.
“These protections are of huge significance to lesbian and gay people living in countries where severe prejudice and discrimination persists,” said Glen’s Eoin Collins.
Other proposed measures announced yesterday include an amended globalisation fund which would compensate workers who lose their jobs as a result of factors such as rapid technological change or increases in the price of raw materials.
At present, the fund only provides compensation where at least 1,000 workers in a company have been laid off.
This threshold is likely to be reduced to about 500.
The fund is aimed at re-integrating workers back into the labour force by assisting in training or self-employment.
