European Parliament to vote on comprehensive EU wide anti- discrimination laws

11.30.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 30th Mar 2009

The European Parliament is gearing up for a key vote on new anti-discrimination legislation this Thursday, when it will decide whether to adopt a report reviewing proposed laws that will see discrimination banned across the European Union on the grounds age, religion or belief, sexual orientation and disability in access to goods, facilities and services. Race and Gender are already covered by existing legislation.

LibDem Euro MP Liz Lynne was the draftsperson for the new laws for the European Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs Committee and has campaigned for years for the new EU laws. Last year Liz was dubbed the EU's "Equality Rapporteur" after successfully piloting a report through the Parliament which convinced Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso to propose these news laws, despite strong opposition from many MEPs in the EPP grouping in the European Parliament and many Member States.

Liz, who is Vice- President of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee, commented ahead of the vote:

" My hope is that MEP's, including many of those from the EPP group who have opposed this directive, will see fit to support this report and send an important message to those EU Member States who are dragging their feet over this legislation that they must act and adopt this legislation as soon as possible.

"No one should underestimate the importance of this legislation in the fight to end the current hierarchy of discrimination in EU law and the ridiculous idea that it is alright to discriminate against any one section of our society."

ENDS