Directive 2004/113/EC

Since the Treaty of Amsterdam came into force in 1999, new EU laws, or Directives, have been enacted in the area of anti-discrimination.The Council Directive 2004/113/EC (described as a Directive "implementing the principle of equal treatment between men and women in the access to and supply of goods and services".

The Directive entered into force on the 21 December 2004 and allowed member states three years to implement its provisions.

One interesting aspect of this Directive is that as a consequence of the P v Cornwall, heard before the European Court of Justice in 1996, sex discrimination must also include discrimination on the grounds of actual or proposed gender reassignment. As a consequence member states will, by December 2007 have to implement protections on the ground of gender reassignment in the provision of goods and services (though article 3 excludes education from its scope).

Other Directives include Directive 2006/54/EC which consolidates other EU Directives relating to sex discrimination in the field of employment and occupation, including the Directive 76/207/EEC.

EU Directive 2000/43/EC covered discrimination based on race and ethnic origin and Directive 2000/78/EC covers discrimination in the area of employment relating to age, disability, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

ee also

*List of European Union directives

External links

* [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32004L0113:EN:HTML Text of the Directive]
* [http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/fundamental_rights/legis/lgdirect_en.htm European Commission Anti-discrimination]
* [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2007/draft/20070128.htm DRAFT The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Amendment) Regulations 2007 which implement the Directive in the United Kingdom]