Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-10-04-Speech-3-178"

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"Mr President, first of all, I would like to congratulate the Commission on the initiative to develop Article 13 of the Treaty further. After so many years of talk, we finally have an initiative to tackle discrimination in different areas more effectively. I would also like to congratulate Mr Mann on the results of his work on the present report. It is a sensitive topic. Everyone is agreed that discrimination should be fought but opinions differ as to how, to what extent and by what means. Discrimination can have different consequences for men and women. I am pleased that what is now before us affords women better protection than the existing directive on the principle of equal treatment, especially with regard to vocational training, employment and employment conditions. I should like to highlight the importance of a person in whom employees can confide within an organisation and the importance of an independent body to which people and organisations can turn in the event of complaints concerning discrimination and intimidation. Positive experiences have been gained in this respect in the Netherlands. I also welcome the attention given to the problem of discrimination against the elderly. It is a growing problem, especially since the number of elderly people is growing in our society and they happen to be the most dynamic generation of elderly people ever. I would like to end by commenting on Article 4 (2) concerning discrimination on the basis of religion and belief, which is a sensitive area, particularly within our Group. It touches upon the theme of pluralism, the importance of which to the proper functioning of our democracy is recognised by many. But in the discussions on pluralism, most of the time we talk about doing justice to the different opinions of individuals. There is far less openness towards, and thought for, individuals wanting to express their opinions through organisations, for, in those instances, there is hardly any respect for pluralism but, rather, intolerance and discrimination, especially with regard to organisations founded on religious or ideological bases. I applaud the recommendation of the Mann report to offer ideological organisations the opportunity to prescribe the functions required of staff with this background in mind. It is a compromise, but one which enjoys wide support within Parliament. I urgently call on the Commission to adopt this recommendation and to do justice to the tolerance and pluralism desired by the representatives of so many States."@en1

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