Britain, France and EU anti-discrimination policy: the emergence of an EU paradigm

Article is part of a special issue on Policy Change and Discourse in Europe.

Article abstract:

The 1997 Amsterdam Treaty contained new provisions to combat discrimination, including on grounds of race, ethnicity and national origin (Article 13). Subsequently, two Directives were adopted in June 2000, a 'Race Directive' and a Directive combating all forms of discrimination in employment. Before Amsterdam, policies directed at ethnic minorities were a national or local prerogative, with the exception of Commission funding of sub-national units promoting the integration of migrants. This policy domain is, therefore, a privileged one to observe the dynamics behind the Europeanisation of policy-making and the cross-pollination of ideas across borders. The article asks under what conditions a particular 'frame' or 'discourse' becomes dominant and what factors can account for the success of a particular policy paradigm at EU level.