Introduction

Equality between women and men and non-discrimination are common values on which the EU is founded and are firmly embedded in the Treaties of the European Union, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and secondary legislation.

The EU treaties refer to equality between women and men and non-discrimination as values shared by the Member States and list promotion of equality between women and men and combatting discrimination among the tasks of the Union. Moreover, elimination of inequalities and promotion of equality between women and men and combatting discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation are core obligations to be respected in all the Union’s activities. With the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty in 2009 mainstreaming is introduced in all policies and activities of the EU with regard to discrimination on grounds of sex, racial and ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age and sexual orientation. Moreover, with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union has become a binding set of EU fundamental rights. The Charter prohibits discrimination on any ground, without limiting this prohibition to any specific fields and is addressed to the EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and to the Member States when they are implementing Union law.