New Equality Mainstreaming Handbook from European Commission to provide guidance on integrating equality into EU Mobility policy

The Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) of the European Commission, has recently published the Equality Mainstreaming Handbook. The handbook provides practical guidance for integrating equality principles into mobility and transport policies. Designed for policymakers, transport stakeholders, and equality experts, it offers tools such as checklists, templates, and examples to support the application of equality mainstreaming throughout all phases of policy development. Its goal is to ensure that transport policies align with the EU's equality objectives while also serving as a resource for advocacy and assessing the effectiveness of equality integration.

Equality mainstreaming is the systematic integration of an equality perspective into every stage of the policymaking cycle (i.e. preparation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation) across all policy areas. It is relevant for all interventions and stakeholders involved. Equality mainstreaming in transport policy benefits users, workers, operators, and stakeholders beyond the transport sector. A comprehensive approach can increase the uptake of sustainable transport options, attract a more diverse talent pool of transport workers, and foster better social cohesion in a society with a well-developed transport network.

The Equality Mainstreaming Handbook serves as a reference document, providing step-by-step guidance on integrating equality considerations at all stages of the policy cycle. It offers 10 practical tools based on examples from the transport legislative framework.

Author: Hugo Ong

Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the European Commission.