Liberals force Europe to intervene on discrimination

Dutch liberal MEP Sophie in't Veld and her Italian colleague Marco Cappato forced Europe into action on equality

The European Commission yesterday called on Italy, Latvia and Finland asking them to bring into their national laws a 2000 directive against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Last month two Liberal members of the European Parliament, Marco Cappato and Sophie In't Veld, asked for an intervention by the Commission, which had given December 2003 as a deadline to approve anti-homophobic legislation. Marco and Sophie both sit in the ALDE group in the European Parliament which includes the Liberal Democrats.

Marco Cappato told PinkNews that yesterday's letter to the three countries could be followed by further action, including a ruling by the EU Court of Justice and subsequent fines, warning the countries' lawmakers to comply with the EU rulings.