ECRI 2023 Annual Seminar with Equality Bodies

  Date: 27 October 2023

  Venue: Strasbourg – Council of Europe, Agora Building (room G.03)

Back in 1997, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) adopted its General Policy Recommendation (GPR) No. 2, which aimed at providing key elements for establishing Equality Bodies,¹ securing their independence² and ensuring their effectiveness in advancing equality and combating racism and intolerance at national level. Twenty years later, ECRI adopted an updated version of GPR No. 2 to make this instrument more pertinent and provide more detailed guidance. Since 2019, within the framework of its sixth country monitoring cycle, ECRI has carefully examined various matters relating to the prerogatives and capacities of Equality Bodies. The 2023 edition of its Annual Seminar with Equality Bodies provided an opportunity to review and explore ways of enhancing independence and effectiveness, with the help of various stakeholders in the shape of practitioners, experts and parliamentarians.

The precise mandates of Equality Bodies (EBs) in the Council of Europe member states differ. At the same time, EBs work at different levels. There is the level of particular cases, at which the EBs help individuals facing racism, discrimination and intolerance in very concrete situations. Such assistance may take different forms depending on the precise mandate of each body. However, it may inter alia include advice to the victim, contacts with specific authorities to address a particular situation, representing a victim in court, or acting as a quasi-judicial body if the EB has an adjudicatory function. The objective is to achieve equality and seek justice in individual situations by using what one could describe as tactical means.

The 2023 annual seminar was preceded by a short survey addressed to all EBs in the Council of Europe area, in which they were asked about the main remaining structural challenges to their work and success stories. The survey further addressed questions of cooperation between EBs and governments, parliaments and civil society organisations. The outcome of this short survey was presented at the annual seminar. It was used as a foundation for more in-depth discussions.

Clearly, some structural causes of inequalities and discrimination require legislation changes; in this context, well-functioning institutional links between EBs and parliaments are vital. The annual seminar provided some inspiring examples in this regard. On the European level, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe regularly co-operates with EBs and Equinet.

¹ see § of GPR No. 2.

² see § 2 and Chapter VIII of GPR No. 2.