L-R: Nathalie Morgenthaler, Director of CET; Corinne Cahen, Luxembourg's Minister of Family and Integration and the Greater Region; Patrick Hurst, President of CET; Credit: MFAMIGR

On 1 April 2021, Luxembourg's Centre for Equal Treatment (Centre pour l'égalité de traitement - CET) submitted its 2020 annual report to the President of the Chamber of Deputies (Parliament), Fernand Etgen, and the Minister of Family and Integration and the Greater Region, Corinne Cahen.

In 2020, the CET processed a record 203 cases, including 184 new requests and nineteen unresolved cases from the previous year.

The CET noted that 47% of requests were submitted by men and 38% by women. The remaining 15% came from organisations or were self-referrals. Many of the requests were submitted by people over the age of 51. 39% of cases come from people with Luxembourgish nationality and 56% from European Union (EU) nationals. 

Among the 203 cases handled by the CET in 2020, 49 cases related to disability, 44 to race or ethnic origin, 39 to gender, twelve to sexual orientation, eight to religion and six to age. In addition, fourteen cases fell into the “multiple discrimination” category and 31 into the “other” category.

The CET resolved 104 cases (51%) in 2020, whilst 42 cases (21%) were still in progress as of 31 December 2020. In 34 cases (17%), the applicant withdrew their request. In 22 cases (11%), there was no way to prove any form of discrimination and in one case, the CET was unable to intervene because the case had already been dealt with in court. 

The CET also regularly examined job vacancies published in 2020 and identified 45 that did not respect equal treatment.

In connection with the COVID-19 pandemic and other current issues, the CET noted an increased awareness of the different forms and grounds of discrimination as well as a fundamental need for communication accessible to all. The centre noted that about 15% of cases in 2020 were related to the pandemic. These requests were mainly linked to inaccessible communications as well as delays in procedures which ultimately put applicants at a disadvantage.

Created in 2006, the CET undertakes to promote, analyse and monitor the equality of treatment between all people without discrimination based on race or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion or beliefs, disability or age.