Date: Thu, 1 Jun 1995 22:24:26 +0200
From: Julio.Rancel@ping.be (Julio N. Rancel)

 TREATY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION - NON DISCRIMINATION ON GROUNDS
OF A PERSON'S SEXUAL ORIENTATION

The European Parliament has expressed its formal opinion on the
consideration of the non discrimination on grounds of a person's
sexual orientation as one of the fundamental rights of the
European Union citizens, and has stressed that this point should
be clearly included in the text of the Treaty.

The European Union has been governed, as a sort of Constitution,
by the Treaty of Rome (foundational, from 1957); by the reforms
from 1986 (the so-called "Single Act"); and by the Treaty of the
European Union (the "Maastricht Treaty"), which came into force
in 1993. The "Intergovernmental Conference" (IGC), taking place
in 1996, shall be the origin of another reform of the treaties:
a new opportunity of deepening and reinforcing the Union.

The European Parliament has expressed its opinion on the
desirable changes for the Union. After several months of
preparation in working groups, political groups and committees,
the Parliament adopted its formal decision in view of the
preparation of the IGC during the Plenary meeting held in
Strasbourg on 17 May 1995. The resolution adopted by majority
says, among other many items, the following:

     "In addition, the Treaty should contain a clear
     rejection of racism, xenophobia, sexism,
     discrimination on grounds of a person's sexual
     orientation, anti-semitism, revisionism and all forms
     of discrimination, and guarantee adequate legal
     protection against discrimination for all individuals
     resident in the European Union..."

This item was proposed to the consideration of the Chamber by an
amendment from the Green group. This resolution is the position
which should be defended by the Parliament's representatives
during the negotiations to prepare next year's Conference: an
opportunity for designing Europe of the XXI century.

                           (inform.: Julio N. RANCEL, EGALITE)
                                          julio.rancel@ping.be