EU scales down anti-discrimination law plans

The main impact on the UK will be that it will no longer be forced to introduce legislation outlawing firms from targeting specific age groups, or restricting the availability of goods and services based on customers' age.

Broad EU anti-discrimination rules already apply to employment - but wider legislation had been proposed tackling discrimination "on the basis of gender, religion, belief, disability, age or sexual orientation beyond the job market."

European protection against discrimination in access to goods and services is currently only provided on the basis of gender and race. Britain also has its own laws covering disability, religion and sexual orientation - leaving age as main exception in the UK when it comes to the provision of goods and services.

Rather than being included in the proposed directive, discrimination on the grounds of age - and other reasons not already covered by EU rules - will now be the subject of a separate recommendation.

The European Commission's Jan Jarab said it would have preferred to bring in a so-called "horizontal" directive that would have covered all areas.

"The Commission has always intended to bring in a directive that would span the whole field," he said. "Unfortunately it seems that the opposition from some member states is too strong, so we are going for the second-best option."

Still discriminating?

Meanwhile, despite being unlawful, age discrimination in employment remains "rife" in the UK, according to Cranfield School of Management.

It found that many employers still hold stereotypical views of older and younger workers. The research also discovered that a quarter had a current policy or practice within their organisation that could be perceived as discriminating on the basis of age.

Dr Emma Parry, Research Fellow at Cranfield School of Management, said: "The research shows a lack of commitment at senior management and board level to stamp out ageism in the workplace. The message to business is clear – age discrimination is illegal."

However, it was not only senior managers who were seen as standing in the way of elimination age discrimination in the workplace - interestingly, trade unions were seen as having the greatest impact as a barrier to eliminating age discrimination.

When the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations came into effect in 2006 we published a guide to the legislation. To view this feature, click here.