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Equality

Equality, non-discrimination and racism

Equality is a core value of the EU. You have the right to fair treatment regardless of who you are, what you believe, or how you chose to live.

We carry out research and share expertise to help fight discrimination, inequality and racism in all its forms.

Highlights

  • Report / Paper / Summary
    21
    January
    2025
    Climate change affects the daily lives of everyone in the EU and has significant environmental, economic, social and health impacts. To tackle this, the European Green Deal was adopted in 2019. This report examines the Green Deal from a fundamental rights perspective, with the aim of protecting the right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment for all. It highlights the lack of fundamental rights in EU climate policy and the need to incorporate these rights into future legislation. It also considers how applying a human-rights-based approach to climate policy could support a fair and inclusive transition.
  • Data explorer
    A total of 139,799 persons aged 15 years or older who describe themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or intersex (LGBTI) completed the online EU-LGBTI II Survey in all EU Member States and the candidate countries of North Macedonia and Serbia.
  • Opinion / Position Paper
    30
    April
    2021
    This opinion illustrates the extent and nature of lived experiences of inequality and discrimination across the EU. It does so with reference to the grounds of discrimination and areas of life covered by the racial and employment equality directives, as well as in relation to the grounds and areas covered by the proposed Equal Treatment Directive.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    28
    November
    2018
    Almost twenty years after adoption of EU laws forbidding discrimination, people of African descent in the EU face widespread and entrenched prejudice and exclusion. This report outlines selected results from FRA's second large-scale EU-wide survey on migrants and minorities (EU-MIDIS II). It examines the experiences of almost 6,000 people of African descent in 12 EU Member States.
    Products
    11
    November
    2019
    Across the EU, people of African
    descent face widespread and entrenched prejudice
    and exclusion. Racial discrimination and harassment
    are commonplace. Experiences with racist
    violence vary, but reach as high as 14 %. Discriminatory
    profiling by the police is a common reality.
    Hurdles to inclusion are multi-faceted, particularly
    when it comes to looking for jobs and housing.
    8
    November
    2019
    This annual overview provides an update of the most recent figures on antisemitic incidents, covering the period 1 January 2008 – 31 December 2018, across the EU Member States, where data are available. It includes a section that presents evidence from international organisations. In addition, for the first time, it provides an overview of how Member States that have adopted or endorsed the non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) (2016) use or intend to use it.
    29
    September
    2014
    This document provides clear explanations for children of the key terms used in the child-friendly justice project. It explains what rights are and how these rights should be protected during legal proceedings.
    12
    September
    2019
    FRA’s second EU Minorities and Discrimination survey (EU-MIDIS II) collected information from over 25,000 respondents with different ethnic minority and immigrant backgrounds across all 28 EU Member States. The main findings from the survey, published in 2017, pointed to a number of differences in the way women and men with immigrant backgrounds across the European Union (EU) experience how their rights are respected. This report summarises some of the most relevant survey findings in this regard, which show the need for targeted, gender-sensitive measures that promote the integration of – specifically – women who are immigrants or descendants of immigrants.
    4
    July
    2019
    Based on FRA’s second large-scale survey on experiences and perceptions of antisemitism, this report focuses
    on the perspectives of young Jewish Europeans (aged 16-34) living in twelve EU Member States. It first
    describes this particular group and takes a look at defining antisemitism and understanding the place of Israel
    in it.
    Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Ten years after the UN’s Disability Convention entered into force, 2018 saw it continue
    to drive advances in disability rights across the EU.
    Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Not all children benefit equally from efforts to guarantee child rights.
    Some groups face particular difficulties.
    Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Anti-Gypsyism across the EU remains a persistent barrier to improving the social and
    economic situation of Roma today.
    Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Ethnic minorities and migrants continue to face harassment and discrimination across the EU,
    despite longstanding EU laws against racism.
    Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Efforts to advance equality moved ahead in some areas but remain stalled in others.
    18
    June
    2019
    This technical report presents in detail all the stages
    of the survey and the relevant information needed to
    assess the quality and reliability of the data, as well
    as considerations for interpreting the survey results.
    The following chapters of the report cover the procedures
    used in the development and administration
    of the survey.
    13
    June
    2019
    New language versions: FI, MT, PT, CS, LV, LT, SK, SL, SV, ET
    03 November 2020
    Children deprived of parental care found in another EU Member State other than their own aims to strengthen the response of all relevant actors for child protection. The protection of those girls and boys is paramount and an obligation for EU Member States, derived from the international and European legal framework. The guide includes a focus on child victims of trafficking and children at risk, implementing an action set forth in the 2017 Communication stepping up EU action against trafficking in human beings, and takes into account identified patterns, including with respect to the gender specificity of the crime.
    11
    June
    2019
    Algorithms used in machine learning systems and artificial intelligence (AI) can only be as good as the data used for their development. High quality data are essential for high quality algorithms. Yet, the call for high quality data in discussions around AI often remains without any further specifications and guidance as to what this actually means.
    6
    June
    2019
    The year 2018 brought both progress and setbacks in terms of fundamental
    rights protection. FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2019 reviews major
    developments in the field, identifying both achievements and remaining areas
    of concern. This publication presents FRA’s opinions on the main developments
    in the thematic areas covered, and a synopsis of the evidence supporting these
    opinions.
    In the latest edition of his video blog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty talks about discrimination on the basis of age in the EU and calls for more respect for Human- and Fundamental Rights of older people.
    5
    April
    2019
    Despite efforts by the European Union (EU) and its Member States to reduce gender inequalities among citizens of Roma
    origin, important gender differences persist. Drawing on FRA’s own EU-MIDIS II survey research in nine EU Member States this report highlights the position of Roma women in education, employment and health,
    as well as the extent to which they experience hate-motivated discrimination, harassment and physical violence.
    Report / Paper / Summary
    16
    January
    2008
    The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights presents in this paper the fourth brief update of its 2004 extensive report "Manifestations of anti-Semitism in the European Union". The overview contains the latest governmental and non-governmental statistical data covering 2001 to 2007 for those EU Member States that have official or unofficial data and statistics on anti-Semitic incidents.
    In the light of the events in New Zealand, Michael O'Flaherty talks about discrimination and hate crime against Muslims in the EU and makes 4 proposals on how to make Muslims feel more safe.
    The Compendium of Practices on Equality Data is the product of the Subgroup on Equality Data, which was set up in February 2018 by the EU High Level Group on Non-Discrimination, Diversity and Equality and is facilitated by FRA. The Subgroup on Equality Data brings together representatives of EU Member States and Norway, the European Commission, Eurostat and FRA with the aim to support Member States in their efforts to improve the collection and use of equality data.
    8
    March
    2019
    This summary outlines the main findings of FRA’s
    second survey on Jewish people’s experiences with
    hate crime, discrimination and antisemitism in the
    European Union – the biggest survey of Jewish people
    ever conducted worldwide.
    The youth of today can help shape a fundamental rights-compliant Europe of tomorrow.
    The youth of today can help shape a fundamental rights-compliant Europe of tomorrow. From climate change to social injustice, many young people are mobilising to bring about change. On International Youth Day on 12 August, FRA calls on the EU and its Member States to build on this momentum to engage and work with young people across Europe.
    FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty delivered a video message during the virtual Roma Holocaust commemoration ceremony on 2 August.
    Today’s rising hate crime and persistent discrimination towards Roma, Sinti and Travellers across Europe underlines the need to learn from the past to build a better future for Roma, as we commemorate Roma Holocaust Memorial Day.
    The dataset from FRA’s Second European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey (EU MIDIS II) is now available for further use by researchers.
    Living with COVID-19 continues to constrain our daily lives, as a new Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) report shows. Moving forward, governments need to ensure existing fundamental rights challenges do not worsen and vulnerable members of society do not suffer disproportionately.
    On 1-2 July, FRA took part, as an observer, in the online Plenary Session of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), under the German chairmanship of IHRA.
    On 14 July, FRA was invited to contribute to the reflection of the Working Party on Social Question of the EU Council.
    On 16 July, FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty presented the results of the LGBTI survey to the LIBE Committee of the European Parliament.
    On 7 July, the EU CRPD Framework met Commissioner Helena Dalli (Equality) to discuss the future European Disability Strategy and ways of reinforcing the CRDP Framework in the future.
    On 3 July, FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty participated in a panel discussion about racism and discrimination in the EU.
    FRA Director spoke at the Equality2020: 20 Years of Equality Bodies conference, on 29 June.
    Many older people in care homes fell victim to COVID-19. Many also faced months of isolation and restrictions often harsher than those enforced for other parts of the population. The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) looks at how the pandemic affected the rights of older people. It highlights the need for a rights-based approach as governments shape their exit strategies.
    On Saturday, 27 June, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) joins the Global Pride - a virtual event that allows the LGBTI+ community to come together and celebrate diversity and equality during these challenging times. FRA takes this opportunity to renew its call on EU countries to step up their efforts and put in place lasting measures protecting the rights of LGBTI people across Europe.
    FRA spoke at the annual meeting of the EU Framework for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and ENNHRI’s Working Group on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 22 June.
    On 12 June, FRA participated in the first project board meeting for the Creating system for quantitative data collection to evaluate the situation of Roma in the Czech Society project.
    Growing intolerance and attacks on people’s fundamental rights continue to erode the considerable progress achieved over the years, finds FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2020. As Europe begins to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic we see a worsening of existing inequalities and threats to societal cohesion.
    FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty presented insights from the agency’s Roma and Travellers survey and its second minorities and discrimination survey during a meeting of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs on 4 June.
    Racist harassment, violence and discriminatory ethnic profiling are commonplace in Europe. Following the current protests that are spreading across the continent, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) calls on EU Member States to step up their efforts and effectively fight discrimination, harassment and violence against black people.
    We, the Diplomatic Missions of Albania, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay, as well as the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, the EU Delegation to the International Organisations in Vienna, UN GLOBE Vienna and the Vienna School of International Studies, welcome the 17th May as the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, as a celebration of diversity and inclusion around the world.
    On 15 October, the European Parliament will hold a public hearing on a European Citizens Initiative to promote minorities, and linguistic and cultural diversity. The organisers will present their initiative.
    The FRA Director, Michael O’Flaherty will deliver a video message to an online seminar discussing its ‘A long way to go for LGBTI equality’ report.
    FRA’s Director will address a panel discussion on rule of law, human rights, and religion. The discussion will take place on 16 October during the G20 interfaith forum.
    The FRA Director will address the launch conference of the new EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation. He will draw on FRA’s Roma surveys underlining the persistent circle of poverty and discrimination many Roma and Travellers continue to endure.
    FRA will facilitate the meeting of the Subgroup on Equality Data, under the EU High Level Group on Non-Discrimination, Equality and Diversity.
    The UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues invited FRA’s Director to deliver a keynote speech during the opening of the UN’s European Regional Forum on hate speech, social media and minorities.
    FRA’s Director will give a keynote speech at a conference on tackling gendered Islamophobia in Europe.
    On 29 September, FRA’s Director Michael O’Flaherty speaks at an international conference on lessons learned from COVID-19 for strengthening older people’s rights in times of digitalisation.
    On 28 September, FRA’s Director Michael O’Flaherty takes part in a seminar on how to best communicate equality and diversity messages.
    FRA director will deliver a keynote speech on 10 September during an online conference tackling antisemitism.
    On 16 July, FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty will present the results of the LGBTI survey to the LIBE Committee of the European Parliament.
    On 14 July, FRA is invited to contribute to the reflection of the Working Party on Social Question of the EU Council.
    The EU CRPD Framework will meet with the EU Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli on 7 July.
    The FRA Director will join EU Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli for a seminar on racism and discrimination in the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Hundreds of Pride marches and events were cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19.
    On 18 June, FRA will host a coordination meeting of working groups under the EU’s High Level Group on combatting racism, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance.
    FRA will join the third meeting of the European Commission’s working group on the implementation of the Council declaration on the fight against antisemitism.
    -
    On 25-26 May, FRA will host the second meeting of the relaunched Roma Working Party.
    FRA will take part in discussions during the EU’s high-level group on non-discrimination, equality and diversity on 26 May.