Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-12-13-Speech-4-083"
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"en.20011213.5.4-083"2
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"Mr President, you promised when you were appointed, Commissioner Kinnock, that the Commission would become the world’s best administration. I have confidence that you are the right person to tackle that task successfully. The issue of giving employees equal rights, irrespective of their sexual orientation, is a crucial step on the way. In the last twelve years, there has been a very positive trend towards enabling homosexuals to be granted the same rights as heterosexuals. In 1989, my own country, Denmark, was the first country in the world to introduce legislation on registered partnerships for homosexuals, corresponding to marriage, and a number of other countries followed suit. I would mention the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Germany and Finland. Other EU countries have implemented legislation which approximates to marriage to rather more limited degrees.
Within the framework of the EU too, the trend is now in the right direction. Allow me to mention four very important points. Non-discrimination against minorities is now written into the objectives of European cooperation. On the legal basis of Article 13 of the Treaty, discrimination in the labour market on the grounds of sexual orientation has now been tackled in practical terms. The Charter of Fundamental Rights expressly states that there must be no discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. Finally, Parliament has recommended on several occasions that same-sex couples be guaranteed the same rights as heterosexual couples and that the Member States recognise registered partnerships. There have been very positive developments in recent years.
Now is the time for the EU’s own institutions to comply with the same standards. I would therefore very much welcome your proposal. You have the key to nudging things in the right direction, Commissioner Kinnock. This proposal would enable homosexuals to be accorded full rights if there were partnership legislation in their own countries. I have a couple of questions in that connection. Since it is to varying degrees that the Member States’ partnership legislation approximates to the marriage laws, I would ask you to explain which countries’ citizens will be given full rights. Where will the Commission draw the line? Moreover, the Commission is paving the way for cohabiting heterosexuals to be given certain rights, for example the right to health insurance covering their partners. That is progress, but I should like to ask whether the arrangement also covers cohabiting homosexuals in all the Member States. For example, are cohabiting homosexuals from Britain and Italy entitled to these limited rights? Finally, a question on the timetable: when do you anticipate its being possible for these new staff rules to come into force in the institutions of the EU? Over the years, many Commissioners have promised the earth in this area, and nothing has happened. They have, however, set things in motion. They deserve full recognition for having done so, and I hope you can give a positive answer to the question we have put to you in this House today."@en1
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