FIMITIC

The European Commission welcomed the decision by the Council and Parliament to designate 2007 as 'European Year of Equal Opportunities for All'. The year will aim to make Europeans aware of their right not to be discriminated against, to promote equal opportunities in areas from work to healthcare, and to show how diversity makes the EU stronger. The year will have four themes: rights, representation, recognition and respect, with a total budget of €15 million for the 12 months activities. The year's budget will be spent on, inter alia, an EU-wide information campaign, new Euro-barometer surveys on discrimination and attitudes towards it, as well as hundreds of national initiatives such writing competitions for schools on the theme of respect and tolerance or prizes for companies with the most effective diversity training. There will also be the first ever Equality Summit gathering together ministers, equality bodies, civil society and social partners.

Most activities will be co-ordinated nationally to ensure that they take place as locally as possible. The €7.6 million dedicated to national, local and regional activities will be matched by co-financing from national public and private sources.

FIMITIC member association in the individual countries were asked to
- identify the ministry / service dealing with the preparations for the Year
- look for information about setting up of the National Coordinating Body and try to be included in it
- influence the work programme at national level for disability to be taken into account within
national actions
- ensure that there will be activities about equal opportunities for disabled people (disability is one of
the ground of discrimination in Article 13)
- communicate their plans for the Year for coordinated FIMITIC action in 2007


Further information about the Year can be found at new website.