Brussels, 10/08/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has adopted its contribution to the World Conference Against Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance, organised by the UN High Commission for Human Rights, and which is to be held in Durban (South Africa) from 31 August to 7 September. Anna Diamantopulou will present the Commission's communication there.
The communication summarises the measures already taken in the EU to combat racism (especially in the legislative field ,with prohibitions on racial discrimination, cooperation in the fight against racist crimes, as well as the question of immigration and asylum) and shows the results a group of States can achieve when working together at regional level. It also recalls the coherent integration strategy of anti-racism in Community policies that the Commission has tried to push forward ("mainstreaming"), and the work of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia of Vienna. Concluding, the Commission urges States represented at the World Conference to take account of ongoing work to combat racism in the EU and to examine how similar initiatives could in future be taken throughout the world. It also reiterates the recommendations it presented to the European Regional Conference "All Different, All Equal: from theory to practice", which was held in Strasbourg from 11 to 13 October 2000.
The document is available at the following address: http: //europa.eu.int/comm/ employment_social/fundamri/eu_racisme/conf_fr.htm