As an european who have worked for european and for american companies[1]... no, very much it's the reverse: european companies pay a lot of attention to university, nationality (home culture, really), and social class for matters of promotion; american companies are more results-oriented and much more cosmopolitan.

You might be judging it by what's being broadcasted in popular media - the european "we're enlightened all the way through" versus the american "we still have ways to go".

>All european countries have equal opportunity laws.

Only really useful for bilking the big multinational companies for moderately stingy fines. Nobody gets ahead because of a lawsuit.

--

[1] selection bias caveat applies, obviously