The Pillar partially goes beyond the current acquis by extending protection against discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, disability, age and sexual orientation to the areas of social protection, including social security and healthcare, education, and access to goods and services available to the public. The Pillar also extends the prohibition of discrimination based on gender to the area of education, which is not covered by the current acquis.

Equal opportunities aim at promoting inclusion and participation of under-represented groups in the labour market and society. The provisions of the Pillar emphasise that specific measures may be necessary to prevent, correct and compensate for disadvantages linked to certain protected grounds. The Principle encourages Member States to address the challenge of groups at risk of discrimination through positive action and incentive measures, for instance by supporting workforce diversity practices among employers.

High