Opening by Evelyn Collins, Chair

Equinet Networking Reception ’Towards an Equal Europe’
Brussels, 15June 2016

Opening by Evelyn Collins, Chair

I am delighted to welcomeall of youto Equinet’s Networking Reception which aims to give expression to our objective to make progress ‘Towards an equal Europe’.

It is a particular pleasure for me that we are having this event atthe Office of the Northern Ireland Executive here in Brussels, as I am a NI public servant myself, and I am very grateful to the Office for hosting this reception at this beautiful venue.

And of course I want to say a special thanks and a warm welcome to our guest of honour today, Vera Jourova, European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, who kindly accepted our invitation to be with us tonight.

We are also very pleased that Tiina Astola, Director General for Justice and Consumers, has made time to join us. We are very appreciative of the support of DG Justice for the work of the network.

I hope you will both have good opportunity to meet representatives of equality bodies and our other guests this evening.

This reception is taking place on the eve of the Equinet conference on Strengthening the effectiveness of European Equal Treatment Legislation. Our hope is that Commissioner Jourova’s address and the networking opportunity which the evening provides will trigger great discussion and spark brilliant ideas onhow to advance towards a Europe where there is full equality in practice – discussions which we will continue tomorrow at the conference.

In myfew words, I would like to focus on the contribution of equality bodies to a more equal Europe.

Equality bodies are high-potential actors in the overall architecture to promote equality and tackle discrimination, we contribute to important and valuable change at the level of individuals, institutions and society as a whole. For example, we provide assistance to persons who have been discriminated against, we work to ensure the effective implementation of equality law, we enrich policy making and practice with recommendations and expert advice; andwe promote equality as a fundamental value and right in general.

Equinet is proud to have a membership of 45 expert equality bodies, each and every one of them working to combat discrimination and promote equality at the national level.

However, we have to acknowledge that some equality bodies work in very difficult circumstances.Somelack a wide and strong mandate with sufficient powers to implement all of their functions to a scale and a standard that can achieve an impact. Others face a critical shortage of financial and staff resources.Some equality bodies are subject topolitical interference with their work, severely undermining their independence.

This needs to change if the European Union is to live up to its declared values of respect for equality and human rights, for example, and to effectively implement legislation it has adopted.

The economic crisis that is still with us and the refugee crisis that unfolds before us should give added impetus to all of us to redouble our efforts to challenge discrimination and promote equality. It is a crucial time for the whole of Europe to show what it stands for and to take action for more equality, greater inclusion and a celebration of diversity. Equality bodies need to be supported to be able to play their role in supporting the achievement of full equality in practice.

We know that the Commission recognises the important role of equality bodies, and indeed that there is a recognition, including as articulated in the conclusions of last October’s first Annual Colloquium on Fundamental Rights, of the crucial need to strengthen the role and capacities of equality bodies given the important tasks they fulfil.

So we are very pleased to launch today, in the Commissioner’s presence, Equinet’s Working Paper on Developing Standards for Equality Bodies. This was developed thorough discussions and consultation with Equinet member equality bodies and it aims to highlight the need for standards for equality bodies to be established, beyond the minimum standards referenced in the EU Directives, to ensure that equality bodies are able to fulfil their potential to a scale that can achieve real impact. It also sets out what such standards should cover, including issues of mandate, independence and effectiveness.

Equinet is convinced that European wide standards are needed to strengthen equality bodies and we trust that our Working Paper will both encourage a real focus on this and provide concrete ideas onhow to strengthen the role and capacities of equality bodies.

You will find copies of the Equinet Working Paper and the Press Release we have prepared for this occasion in the room and we invite you to give them due consideration.

With these words, I’m delighted to invite Commissioner Jourova to deliver her address. As you all know, she is from the Czech Republic and has been European Commissionerfor Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality since 2014, including responsibility for the draft equal treatment directive we are so keen to see adopted. She has a Law Degree as well as a Degree in theory of culture. She was Minister for Regional Development in the Czech Republic and before that managed an EU funds consultancy.