In Coleman v Attridge Law and Law C-303/06 the Advocate General of the ECJ has given his opinion that the Framework Directive's provisions on disability cover "associative discrimination" (that is, discrimination against a non-disabled person on grounds of their association with a disabled person).

If the ECJ follows this opinion, he outcome of the case could have major implications for the scope of disability discrimination law in the UK, as employers will not be able to hide behind the more subtle form of direct discrimination/harassment, where it is on the grounds of the disability of a third party closely associated with the employee.