Brussels, 19/12/2001 (Agence Europe) - On 18 December in Brussels the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) presented its Annual Report for 2000 - Racism and Xenophobia in the EU. Bob Purkiss, President of the Administration Council, and Director of the Council, Beate Winkler, were present at the presentation, as well as Graham Watson, President of the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties. The main findings demonstrate that most discrimination experienced by migrants and ethnic and religious minority groups in the EU involve discrimination on the labour market; exclusion from recruitment, lower wages, declining levels of labour force participation and greater risks of unemployment; significant increases in the level of racially motivated violence. France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom have all reported anti-Semitic violence, racist threats and intimidation. The main conclusions of the Third Observatory Report are as follows:
1. Discrimination based on race, ethnic origin, culture and religion: in all Member States the majority of complaints include discrimination on the labour market - employment and professional activities. There are generally greater levels of unemployment amongst immigrants and minority groups than among the host populations, as has been observed in the Netherlands and Finland. The situation of illegal immigrants and the Roma and the subsequent treatment they receive on the jobs market and accommodation, have been described by civil rights groups in their report on Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain, as inhumane . The same phenomenon has been observed in Portugal for both legal and illegal immigrants and prostitutes from the former African colonies. Discrimination towards illegal immigrants occurs in all fields: denial of social rights, no access to health provision, notably in Greece, Italy and Spain.
2. Violence and racist crimes: the report notes that the significant increase in racist crime and anti-Semitic attacks have increased by 33% compared to 1999, while in the United Kingdom acts of racial violence have doubled during the 1999-2000 period. During the riot in El Ejido in Almeria, Spain, around a hundred Spanish villages attacked the Moroccan immigrant population in what was one of the most serious demonstrations of racial violence experienced last year.
3. Crimes perpetrated by Neo-Nazi extremists and members of the far-right: these kinds of crimes have increased in Finland, Germany, Spain and Sweden and in the level of violence in Finland and Sweden. Spain has witnessed an increasing number of people joining Neo-Nazi organisations and Internet use being used for provoking hatred. The number of websites of this kind doubled in Germany between 1999-2000. Worries have also been expressed about a Neo-Nazi radio station in Denmark, which continues to play a propaganda and agitational role for the international Neo-Nazi movement.
4. The struggle against racism and discrimination, and the integration of cultural diversity in the work place: in all Member States many initiatives are being taken by various actors to combat discrimination and promote cultural diversity in this direction. The EUMC will support this work by publishing a special report on good practice in the workplace in early 2002. The report highlights the adoption of new directives based on Article 13 of the EC Treaty introducing common standards of protection from discrimination in all Member State countries and points out that these directives should enter into force throughout the Union in 2003. This should create a strong framework for equal treatment in access to employment, healthcare, education and other goods and services.
Bob Purkiss ended with an appeal, "We need to change our attitudes, habits and values, and work towards a culture that does not inadvertently usher in discrimination, but recognises, reflects and values diversity." Beate Winkler stated that the struggle against racism and xenophobia, "requires a joint effort from all sides of society to tackle not just direct, but also indirect racial discrimination and work actively towards greater equality". Graham Watson expressed his wish that the 21st Century would be "more peaceful and harmonious" than the blood soaked conflicts of the 20th Century and stressed that, "As communities across the world become more interdependent, the white Caucasian minority must become aware of the impact of its behaviour" and that, "Racially discriminatory laws, practices and attitudes" should be avoided.
The Annual Report 2000 and its summaries is published in English, French and German and availabel on the site http: //eumc.eu.int For further information, EUMC Vienna: Tel: -+43 1 580 30 31. Fax +43 1 580 90 93. E-mail: media@eumc.eu.int