As part of the project “Combating Discrimination and Hatred”, the European Union and the Council of Europe organized the third and final meeting of the Working Group tasked to amend Law No. 05/L-021 on the Protection from Discrimination, on 24- 26 November 2024. The previous two meetings within this initiative were held last April and May. The support and provision of legislative expertise, through the Joint EU/COE Horizontal Facility Programme targeted the Legal Office and the Office for Good Governance, Prime Minister’s Office, in finalizing the Draft Law on Amending the Law on Protection from Discrimination, encompassing relevant European standards.
Opening remarks in the meeting were made by a representative from the Legal Office, who expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far, thanked the participants for their contributions, while also praising the importance of the Council of Europe for their expert assistance. Over the course of the three-day working group, representatives from relevant institutions, such as the Legal Office, the Office for Good Governance, the Ombudsperson's Office, and civil society organizations, had the opportunity to compare and discuss their perspectives on the proposed changes and articles that are aimed at improving the implementation of the Law on Protection from Discrimination and ultimately the protection of individuals and groups, notably the most marginalized. It was noted that the majority of comments on the existing draft had been considered, and the current version of the draft provides a solid foundation for further work.
Among other topics, the group discussed the incorporation of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) General Policy Recommendation (GPR) No. 2 on Equality Bodies and the New EU Directives on Standards for Equality Bodies. In addition, the working group members focused their discussion on defining the roles and the responsibilities of the relevant institutions, as well as methods for monitoring and coordinating the work between judiciary, independent authorities, government bodies and civil society organizations.
Conclusively, it was agreed that the draft of the amended law would undergo a review by international experts, followed by public consultations. Once the consultation process is completed, the law will be submitted to the Government for further procedures, including final approval.
*All reference to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.
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