Liz Lynne speaks out on Age discrimination

12.00.00am GMT Thu 8th Dec 2005

Liz Lynne, Lib Dem MEP for the West Midlands and Co Chair of the European Parliament's Intergroup on AGE, hosted the annual progress review of the implementation of the European Employment Directive, which bans discrimination in employment on the basis of disability, age, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

After the event Liz, (pictured with Alvaro Oliveira, Legal and policy officer for the antidiscrimintaion unit of the European Commission and Richard Baker, Chair of the AGE antidiscrimination group), commented;

"Whilst most member states now have legislation combating discrimination on the books, Member States should realise these are only minimum standards and must get to grips with the core principles of the rules.

"It is a disgrace that the UK Government has dragged its feet over this and will be one of the last EU countries to incorporate these rules. Individual Member States have a responsibility to raise awareness of the new rights that these rules provide for the individual"

Liz Lynne also took the opportunity to question the Commission on its work;

"Whilst I welcome the Commission's Green Paper on Demographic change, it is clear that the Employment Directive, whilst invaluable, is failing to ignite fundamental change. The Commission must consider a specific directive on age discrimination"

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Liz Lynne MEP is Co Chair of the European Parliament's Intergroup on Age and fought hard to ensure that Age was included in the Employment framework directive