European Union: an expanding case-law based on a hierarchy of discrimination grounds

Authors

  • Millán Requena Casanova

Keywords:

Equal Treatment, General Principles of Law, Discrimination on grounds of Age, ECJ Case-Law

Abstract

The ECJ has developed significant case-law on the general principle of equal treatment, this being chiefly focused, although not exclusively, on some of its particular aspects, such as age. The said case-law is characterized for its wide and generous interpretation of the aforementioned principle, having reinforced its regulatory scope and content. This case-law has given impetus to EU’s action in those competence scopes where the principle of equal treatment applies, such as in social and employment policies. However, the legal protection of equal treatment is founded on a hierarchy of discrimination grounds reliant on a choice made by EU’s lawmaker, which is reflected at both the various material scopes of prohibited discriminations and the various levels of justification of those differences in treatment which are admissible.