Belgium

Despite several improvements made by Belgium, ECRI underlined some deficiencies of Belgian policies in the field of legislative issues, hate speech, violence, and integration policies.

The Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism and Discrimination in collaboration with the Federal Minister for Equal Opportunities, the three regional housing Ministers and the Gender Institute presented the diversity Barometer in housing

On 5 February 2014, the Council of State held that the function of religion teacher - active in public schools - inherently holds personal religious beliefs as well as religious symbols for some of them. Thus, they should be authorized to wear religious symbols not only inside the classroom but also outside of the classroom.

On 10 December 2013, the Labour Court of Bruges (Flanders) convicted an IT store manager for direct discrimination against a prospective employee based on congenital hand deformities.

By a judgment of 17 April 2013, the Council of State held that teachers of religion or moral education are authorized to wear political, ideological or religious symbols within all public schools’ premises of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation

On 10 December 2013, the Labour Court of Leuven (Flanders) convicted the manager of a Fitness Centre for discrimination by association, by reason of an employee’s dismissal based on the disability of this employee’s younger child.