Resumen de Organizzazioni di tendenza religiosa: quali limiti all’esenzione dal divieto di discriminazione religiosa in materia di lavoro?
The present Insight is an attempt to shed light on the Court’s findings in its Vera Egenberger judgment of 17 April 2018 (case C-414/16). For the first time, the Court interprets Art. 4, para. 2, of Directive 2000/78/EC, providing some important clarifications. Indeed, Art. 4, para. 2, establishes an exception to the general principle of non-discrimination when a person’s religion or belief constitutes a genuine, legitimate and justified occupational requirement. However, its undetermined formulation has allowed Member States to interpret it very broadly, on account of the right to self-determination of Churches and religious organizations. The Court affirms the importance of judicial scrutiny over employment decisions by religious organizations, which has to be carried out by balancing the different rights and interests at stake (i.e. Art. 10 and 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union). More than a decade after Mangold and Kücükdeveci judgments, the Court of Justice also confirms its case-law on the direct effect of the general principle of non-discrimination.
