Legal Seminar 2009 - On the implementation of EU law on equal opportunities and anti-discrimination

For the second time the yearly seminar of the Network was organised in cooperation with the European Network of Legal Experts in the field of Gender Equality (managed by the Faculty of Law of Utrecht University). The seminar, which took place in Brussels on 6 October 2009, attracted 185 participants, representatives of the European Commission, EU Member States governments, Equality Bodies and European NGOs.

The objective of the Legal Seminar was to provide the participants with an opportunity to exchange views on the transposition and implementation of EU equality and anti-discrimination Directives and to discuss particular issues of discrimination. The programme (PDF 81 kB) of the seminar included both plenary sessions and parallel workshops.

The feedback from the satisfaction survey (PDF 183 kB) resulted in a good overall rating of the organisation, the speakers and the discussion in the workshops.

Opening session

Ms. Belinda Pyke, Director at the DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities of the European Commission presented the latest developments on anti-discrimination .

Key note presentations were made at the opening session by MEP Liz Lynne, who has a long-standing experience working on disability-rights issues and is the author of reports on the implementation of existing anti-discrimination legislation, and by Prof. David Oppenheimer of the University of California, who elaborated on the evolution of the anti-discrimination legislation in the U.S.A., presented the sources of U.S. anti-discrimination law and explained the recent developments.

Speech Ms Belinda Pyke:
summary (PDF 76 kB)

Presentation Prof. David Oppenheimer:
powerpoint (PDF 935 kB)
handout (PDF 1.250 kB)
audio recording (mp3 31 min)

Workshop on discrimination in access to goods and services

In this workshop Prof. Aileen McColgan of Kings College London presented the issues arising from differential treatment in access to and supply of goods and services, while Dr. Eugenia Caracciolo di Torella of the University of Leicester elaborated on gender discrimination at insurance services.

For download:

Discussion paper (PDF 111 kB) and
summary of the workshop proceedings
(PDF 84 kB)
Presentation Prof. Aileen McColgan:
powerpoint (PDF 65 kB)
handout (PDF 34 kB)
audio recording (mp3 15 min)
Presentation Dr. Eugenia Caracciolo di Torella:
powerpoint (PDF 45 kB)
handout (PDF 35 kB)
audio recording (mp3 35 min)

Workshop on the link between equality and other fundamental rights

This Workshop focused on conflicts between rights, especially with regards to religion as well as gender and sexual orientation equality. Prof. Emmanuelle Bribosia of Université Libre Brussels suggested a typology of conflicts which distinguished between inter-rights and intra-rights conflicts; Prof. Maleiha Malik of King's College University of London, spoke about gender equality and conflict of rights.

For download:

Discussion paper (PDF 110 kB) and
summary of the workshop proceedings
(PDF 80 kB)
Presentation Prof. Emmanuelle Bribosia:
powerpoint (PDF 53 kB)
handout (PDF 65 kB)
Presentation Prof. Maleiha Malik:
powerpoint (PDF 393 kB)
handout (PDF 608 kB)

Workshop on discrimination against Roma: legal developments

At this workshop Mr. David Strupek, who had been representing the applicants before the European Court of Human Rights in D.H. v. Czech Republic, presented the case and gave an overview of the case law of the ECtHR on Roma related issues.

For download:

Discussion paper (PDF 122 kB) and
summary of the workshop proceedings
(PDF 84 kB)
Presentation Mr. David Strupek:
powerpoint (PDF 45 kB)
handout (PDF 52 kB)
audio recording (mp3 31 min)

Workshop on age discrimination: recent developments

The first speaker of this workshop, Prof. Mark Freedland of the Oxford University focused on a theoretical legal background of age discrimination, while Mr. O'Dempsey, Barrister at Chambers of Robin Alley QC & Cloisters took a more practical approach by presenting the development of age equality standards through ECJ case law.

For download:

Discussion paper (PDF 106 kB) and
summary of the workshop proceedings
(PDF 95 kB)
Presentation Prof. Mark Freedland:
powerpoint (PDF 56 kB)
handout (PDF 33 kB)
audio recording (mp3 35 min)
Presentation Mr. Declan O'Dempsey:
powerpoint (PDF 24 kB)
handout (PDF 20 kB)
audio recording(mp3 68 min)

Workshop on discrimination against transgender people

At this workshop, Prof. Stephen Whittle of Manchester University analysed the concept of gender identity and the relevant case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, while Mr Silvan Agius, Policy and Programmes Officer at ILGA Europe, presented the legal situation of the Member States regarding gender identity discrimination.

For download:

Discussion paper (PDF 162 kB) and
summary of the workshop proceedings
(PDF 84 kB)
Presentation Prof. Stephen Whittle:
powerpoint (PDF 1.208 kB)
handout (PDF 668 kB)
Presentation Mr Silvan Agius:
powerpoint (PDF 1.633 kB)
handout (PDF 294 kB)

Workshop on discrimination on grounds of gender and religion : a case of conflict between grounds?

Prof. Eva Brems, Ghent University and Prof. Hege Skjeie, University of Oslo analysed both the conflict of gender and religion, stressing that it could be useful not to conceive the problem as a conflict of rights but to take a perspective of multiple discrimination and intersectionality.

For download:

Discussion paper (PDF 115 kB) and
summary of the workshop proceedings
(PDF 82 kB)
Presentation Prof. Eva Brems:
powerpoint (PDF 1.527 kB)
handout (PDF 60 kB)
audio recording (mp3 36 min)
Presentation Prof. Hege Skjeie:
powerpoint (PDF 1.140 kB)
handout (PDF 290 kB)
audio recording (mp3 26 min)