WHILE our own government continues to defer the introduction of legislation relating to age discrimination in employment and elsewhere, the European Parliament's own priority objective to implement Article 13 of the Amsterdam Treaty has recently been endorsed by European leaders.

Three proposals and three drafts have been prepared for a directive that will "establish a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation," which, on the surface, appears to be in line with the aims of this association's on-going campaign objectives, as it would outlaw discrimination on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.

Closer examination of the document's contents reveals a worrying underlining trend which, if incorporated into law, could allow age discrimination to flourish unchallenged, as Article V in the same document states that a difference of treatment on age grounds is justifiable if they are objectively and reasonably justified on grounds of physical or mental occupational requirements or to pursue legitimate labour market objectives . Who will decide what is a legitimate labour market objective and on what criteria?

Will it be argued, for example, that all sales staff should be young and beautiful, simply because the market demands it? Or to take a current example: should the French be permitted to compulsorily retire all commercial airline pilots at 60 - regardless of their competence and lifelong experience?

To accept an inevitable natural connection between age and physical or mental competence, as this document appears to do, is merely to condone the very attitude among both state and employers that we, and others, have been trying to eliminate for a decade.

This association will continue to oppose such measures vigorously until a more balanced attitude to age becomes universally adopted.

HEDLEY SHARPLES (Chairman, Blackburn and East Lancashire branch, Association of Retired and Persons Over 50 Friendship Centre), Revidge Road, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.