Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-05-18-Speech-4-198"
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"en.20000518.7.4-198"2
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"Mr President, since the Treaty of Amsterdam and the Tampere Justice and Home Affairs Summit, things have really got moving in Europe. It is very pleasing to see this. The action programme against discrimination, the Commission’s two proposals for directives, the opening of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, and lastly the adoption of Article 13 of the Treaty all give an irrevocable signal. There was no anti-discrimination provision of this kind in the treaties before. The European institutions can now, on the basis of Article 13, take appropriate steps to fight certain kinds of discrimination.
The European Parliament has also made its own contribution. My colleague, Mrs Buitenweg, has, under considerable time pressure, prepared a well considered report on this anti-discrimination package on behalf of the Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs, and we are now voting on that report.
In general, Mrs Buitenweg’s 55 or so amendments make the Commission proposal much more substantial. She has achieved a great deal. The proposal before us is the first implementation of Article 13. It concerns equal treatment irrespective of the colour of people’s skin or their ethnic origin. It does not only tackle the most important areas of life, such as access to employment and equal treatment at the workplace, education, social protection and social security. The Commission is also attempting to build on experience gained in the Member States. The reversal of the burden of proof will make the directive a very important instrument. The defendant will now have to provide convincing proof that there is no discrimination.
The scope of the directive has also been widened, with protection against discrimination being extended to associations and groups of persons. A large majority of the committee went along with the rapporteur, and the vote today allows us to take that decision further in a consistent way.
I would like to expressly thank Mrs Buitenweg for her excellent work and I assume that we will adopt this report by a clear majority today, even if the Commissioner responsible has let it be known here today that she cannot accept half the amendments. Nevertheless, a very important step is being taken today and we are giving a signal."@en1
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