ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an understanding of the main discourses on anti discrimination policy at the European Union (EU) level. It explores that civil society organisations played a major role in promoting the adoption of anti-racist measures and proved very effective in articulating EU discourse on the matter. Social policy and more specifically anti-discrimination on the ground of race and ethnic origin developed slowly at the European level. Public consultations launched by the Directorate General, DGs of the European Commission constitute an important channel for dialogue between social and institutional actors and provide the locus for the articulation of policy options and beliefs, thus proving a potentially useful tool to overcome the remoteness of the European public sphere (EPS). It demonstrates that the case of anti-discrimination and human rights proves this point and that civil society organisations have been very active and effective in dialoguing with institutions.
