Combating discrimination: Community action programme 2001-2006

PURPOSE : to establish a Community action programme to combat discrimination (2000-2006). COMMUNITY MEASURE : Council Decision 2000/750/EC establishing a Community action programme to combat discrimination. CONTENT : having regard to Article 13 of the Treaty establishing the European Communities, this Decision establishes a Community action programme to promote measures to combat direct or indirect discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, for the period from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2006. The financial reference amount for the implementation of the programme for the period 2000-06 is set at EUR 98,4 million. Within the limits of the Community's powers, the programme shall support and supplement the efforts at Community level and in the Member States to promote measures to prevent and combat discrimination whether based on one or multiple factors, taking account, where appropriate, of future legislative developments. It shall follow these objectives: - to improve the understanding of issues related to discrimination through improved knowledge of this phenomenon and through evaluation of the effectiveness of policies and practices; - to develop the capacity to prevent and address discrimination effectively, in particular by strengthening organisations' means of action and through support for the exchange of information and good practice and networking at European level, while taking into account of the specific characteristics of the different forms of discrimination; - to promote and disseminate the values and practices underlying the fight against discrimination, including through the use of awareness-raising campaigns. With a view to achieving the objectives set out above, the following actions may be implemented within a transnational framework: 1) analysis of factors related to discrimination, including through studies and the development of qualititative and quantitative indicators and benchmarks, in accordance with national law and practices, with a view to assessing its effectiveness and impact, with effective dissemination of the results; 2) transnational cooperation and the promotion of networking at European level between partners active in the prevention of, and the fight against, discrimination, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs); 3) awareness-raising, in particular to emphasis the European dimension of the fight against discrimination and to publicise the results of the programme, in particular through communications, publications, campaigns and events. Arrangements for the implementation of the Community actions are set out in an Annex. The Commission shall ensure the implementation of the Community actions. It shall be assisted in its task by a joint committee made up of Member State representatives. It shall also have a regular exchange of views with representatives of NGOs and the social partners at European level . Furthermore, the Commission is also in charge of ensuring overall consistency with other Union and Community policies, instruments and actions, in particular by establishing appropriate mechanisms to coordinate the activities of the programme with relevant activities relating to research, employment, equality between women and men, social inclusion, culture, education, training and youth policy and in the field of the Community's external relations. The Commission and the Member States shall also ensure consistency and complementarity between action taken under the programme and the other relevant Union and Community initiative EQUAL. Member States shall also ensure consistency and complementarity between activities under the programme and those carried out at national, regional and local level. The programme is open to the participation of the EFTA/EEA countries, the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Cyprus, Malta and Turkey in accordance with financial conditions and procedures to be agreed with these countries. The Commission shall regularly monitor the programme in cooperation with the Member States. An evaluation report on the implementation of the programme is due for the 31 December 2005 at the latest. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 02.12.2000.�