The focus will be primarily on all Member States of the EU. However, to some extent, some information will also be required on candidate countries (Turkey, Montenegro, Albania, Serbia, and FYROM) and the EFTA countries which are parties to the EEA Agreement (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) in view of the need to follow legal developments in the context of the enlargement process and the applicability of the EU gender equality and anti-discrimination acquis also in the EFTA/EEA countries.
Furthermore, contribution will be required to the Commission's work in reviewing the effectiveness of existing legislation and, if necessary, the development of new legislative instruments at EU level. To support the Commission in this work, independent information and advice on the implementation and application of EU law, highlighting good practices and areas of difficulty will need to be provided under the contract.
The specific objectives of the contract are to:
— provide information to the Commission on the operation and effectiveness of the national implementation of gender equality and non-discrimination directives;
— contribute to the monitoring, enforcement, regular evaluation and updating of the anti-discrimination and gender equality legislation;
— provide information and advice on the development of European and national case-law and its impact on the level of protection provided in the field of gender and non-discrimination;
— provide examples of good practice in terms of protection and enforcement in the field of gender equality and non-discrimination; and.
— provide information to the Commission on any other issue of relevance to its work in the fields of gender equality and non-discrimination or, in exceptional cases, on specific questions linked to other areas or grounds beyond EU equality law, that may have an impact or repercussion on the development and the implementation of gender equality or non-discrimination (for example, relate to discrimination on grounds of health or to discriminatory effects of national provisions in the areas of labour/employment/tax/education law).