Age discrimination legislation – EU initiative

3.44.26pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 2nd Jul 2003

The Government are trying to claim credit for introducing legislation to outlaw age discrimination, despite it being an EU initiative.

MEP for the West Midlands Liz Lynne has welcomed today's announcement by the Department of Trade and Industry to begin formal consultation on the introduction of a new law to outlaw age discrimination.

The law is being introduced as a direct result of the European Employment Directive 2000. Under this directive, discrimination in the employment field on the grounds of a person's disability, age, religion or sexual or must be outlawed in all EU countries. The deadline for introducing this directive into UK law is December 2003. However, EU countries may request a further extension of 3 years to introduce legislation outlawing discrimination on the grounds of disability and age.

The UK government requested a delay of 12 months to introduce legislation to outlaw disability discrimination, and 3 years to outlaw age discrimination.

Liz, a member of the European Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs committee, and leader for the European Liberal Democrat group on the Employment Directive, commented:

Liz Lynne lead for the Liberal Democrats on the Employment Directive in the European Parliament.

"While it is welcome that the government are finally pulling their socks up over this, it is curious that on the one hand they appear to be attempting to claim all the credit – at the European Union's expense – for introducing the legislation, while simultaneously delaying actually introducing it for as long as possible.

"The government likes playing the game of blaming the EU for unpopular legislation – even if they supported it in the Council – and taking credit for popular legislation – even if they were lukewarm or opposed to it at the time it was agreed.

"This does nothing to convince people of the real and tangible benefits that the British people get from membership of the European Union. The Employment Directive is an example of one of these benefits."