Brussels, 28/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - Following the adoption of the Council Directive relating to the implementation of the principal of equal treatment between persons without any distinction based on race or ethnic origin (see EUROPE of 7 June, p.7) the European Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs Committee brought its unanimous support by adopting the report by Thomas Mann (EPP-DE, Germany) relating to the draft Directive on equal treatment in terms of employment and work, which is part of the global provision to fight against discrimination (whose basis lies in Article 13 of the Treaty). The Parliamentary Committee feels that this Directive, "which only concerns the world of work", must concentrate on discrimination based upon religion or convictions, on a handicap, ages or sexual orientation. In view of guaranteeing the coherence of legislation, the parliamentary Committee adopted several amendments (for example, on harassment and the taking into account of a perspective in terms of gender) which are similar to the provisions of the specific Directive relating to the issue of races. The report by Thomas Mann will be debated in plenary during the October session of the Parliament in Strasbourg.
Furthermore the fields mentioned in the Commission proposal, the Mann report: 1) would like the Directive to apply to the access to non-remunerated and voluntary work or to official functions, the acquisition of professional experience, health and security, information and consultations, participation in trade union elections and access to social assistance; 2) insists that, in the case of religious organisations, difference of treatment founded on a person's religion or belief is not discrimination: religious communities could thus recruit their staff on the basis of religious criteria but this does not, however, justify discrimination founded on any other motive (for example, sexual orientation); 3) is of the opinion that a difference of treatment founded on age is not direct discrimination when it is objectively and reasonably justified by a legitimate objective.