Brussels, 13/03/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Social Affairs Council opened work by providing its agreement in principle to the "anti-discrimination" package proposed end-November by the European Commission. Ministers hope that it will be adopted at the Social Council to be held in June, thus before the Feira Summit. EUROPE recalls that this package comprises: a) a directive banning discrimination in matters of employment due to race, racial or ethnic origin, religion or convictions, a disablement, age or sexual orientation; b) a directive banning discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin in the field of work, education, access to goods or services, as well a social protection and cultural activities; c) a Community action programme (2001-2006) intended to support Member States and complete the implementation of directives through information and experience exchange and by the dissemination of good practices in legislative and non-legislative fields (see EUROPE of 26 November 1999, p.11).
Then, Ministers discussed preparations for the Lisbon Summit. The Presidency said it had received 1000 pages in contributions, essentially from Member States, trade union and employers' organisations, and that it had whittled these down to four pages that ministers agreed to as their contribution to the Lisbon Summit. Ministers had an exchange of views on the different ministerial plans already presented as contributions to the Summit, especially the action plan by France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Belgium. They took note that the Presidency had invited the EcoFin Ministers to the Summit (see previous page) but not Employment Ministers. For Mrs. Onkelinkx (Belgium) "this will not do. It's a symbolic issue. It is a Summit for employment and Employment Ministers are not invited! This is unacceptable", she said.