April 29, 2004

EUROPEAN COMMISSION WARNS GERMANY OVER FAILURE TO IMPLEMENT ANTI-DISCRIMINATION MEASURE

The European Commission has issued a warning to Germany over its failure to implement a European Union directive that prohibits employment-related discrimination based on religion or belief. The directive is expected to make illegal government and private sector application forms that require individuals and organizations to declare a non-affiliation with the Church of Scientology as a condition for employment and contractual relations.

In an April 29, 2004 reply to Italian member of the European Parliament Maurizio Turco, the European Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs, Antonio Vitorino, indicated that “the Church of Scientology and other religious communities in Germany” are entitled to protection from discrimination under the terms of the directive.

European Commission directive 2000/78/EC prohibits discrimination in the work place that is based on religion or belief, race, ethnic origin or sexual orientation. Member states of the European Union were required to transpose the directive into their domestic law by December 2, 2003, but Germany has failed to meet the deadline.