The governmental expert group allows cooperation between the countries' relevant authorities and the EU-Commission on questions relating to anti-discrimination initiatives based on grounds of racial or ethnic orogin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.
The group examines the impact of national and EU-level non-discrimination measures, validates good practice through peer learning and evaluates the effectiveness of non-discrimination policies.
In 2009, the group will particularly focus on multiple-discrimination and non-discrimination mainstreaming, as set out in the European Commission Communication of July 2008 and confirmed in the conclusions of the Equality Summit held in September 2008 in Paris.
The national experts from the Nordic countries are:
Denmark: Trine Hougaard, The Ministry of Empoyment.
Finland: Timo Makkonen, Ministry of the Interior.
Norway: Kare Petter Sorlien, Ministry of Children and Equality.
Sweden: Hans Ytterberg. Ministry for Integration and Gender Equality.
